معرفی
Maria João Pena is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon and an Integrated Researcher at CIES-Iscte's Politics and Citizenship group. She teaches undergraduate, master's, and doctoral courses in Social Work, including 'Social Work with Children, Youth and Families' and 'Research Design', while coordinating multiple programs. Her academic qualifications include a PhD in Social Work (ISCTE-IUL, 2012), a Master's in Sociology (ISCTE-IUL, 1996), and a Bachelor's in Social Work (Instituto Superior de Serviço Social de Lisboa, 1991).
Her research explores theory and epistemology in social work, with specialized focus on disability studies, family interventions, and school-based social work. She investigates inclusive practices for intellectually disabled individuals, empowerment methodologies, and interdisciplinary approaches to child welfare. Recent work emphasizes community development through artistic practices and systemic reforms in higher education accessibility.
Her publications (2021-2025) demonstrate strong trends in inclusive education systems, disability policy frameworks, and validation of psychosocial measurement tools. Over 85% of recent works address inclusive university models, curriculum adaptations for disabilities, and community-based empowerment strategies, reflecting sustained focus on equity-driven interventions.
She actively advises 16 doctoral candidates and 10 master's students, with supervision themes spanning disability rights, family reunification, school integration of Romani communities, and therapeutic interventions for substance dependency. Her mentorship emphasizes field-based research and policy analysis, with students investigating institutional care systems, domestic violence responses, and employment barriers for disabled persons.
At CIES-Iscte, she collaborates on projects examining social welfare models, notably contributing to Portugal's Independent Living Support Model evaluation. Her pedagogical development includes creating digital resources for disability inclusion and redesigning internship protocols for social work programs.