A universidade pública mineira e a divulgação científica em espaços de educação não formal

Abstract

This research aims to map and analyze the policies and practices of Science Communication (SC) at federal universities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, identifying guidelines and actions related to Non-Formal Education (NFE). It is a descriptive, qualitative study that employed documentary analysis as its data collection procedure. The method of analysis adopted was Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA), according to Moraes and Galiazzi (2006, 2020). The analysis was organized into three stages: (a) information available in official communication channels; (b) institutional documents; and (c) questionnaire. In the preliminary results of the first stage, six categories were identified: (i) institutional structure; (ii) communication channels; (iii) events and spontaneous initiatives; (iv) collaborations and partnerships; (v) accessibility and inclusion; and (vi) institutional policies and guidelines. In the second stage, eight categories emerged: (a) teaching actions; (b) outreach actions; (c) research actions; (d) democratization of knowledge; (e) institutional structure; (f) science journalism; (g) communication channels; and (h) institutional policies and guidelines. In the third stage, ten categories were identified: appreciation of SC; challenges and limitations of SC; NFE; training for SC; infrastructure and support mechanisms; evaluation of SC; institutional policy and management; platforms, channels, and strategies for SC; scientific citizenship, combating misinformation, and social impact; and the multidimensionality of SC and integration between educational contexts. The results reveal that, although there are significant initiatives that articulate teaching, research, and outreach through the lens of NFE, these practices remain largely disjointed, fragmented, and limited to isolated actions. There is an urgent need to establish institutional SC policies and invest in qualified training for its implementation. Moreover, there is a lack of systematic monitoring and evaluation processes capable of measuring the social impact of such actions. Ultimately, this study contributes to strengthening the debate on the democratization of scientific knowledge in Brazil, pointing toward the development of a more dialogical, critical, and socially engaged scientific culture.