Prof. Dr. Ângela Fernandes, a lecturer and researcher at Fernando Pessoa University, was in Kaunas, Lithuania, from 13th to 17th April 2026, as part of the 9th International Week of the Lithuanian Sports University.Lithuanian Sports University, LSU), an initiative within the Erasmus+ Programme, which brought together 30 academics from 16 countries across four continents, constituting a relevant opportunity for scientific and pedagogical exchange in European higher education.
During her visit, Professor Dr. Ângela Fernandes delivered sessions to students on the Training Systems and Physical Education and Sports programmes. These sessions focused on topics at the intersection of Psychology and Criminology applied to interventions with vulnerable young people. The topics covered included the use of structured sport and game-based interventions for the development of socio-emotional skills, the assessment and implementation of programmes for at-risk youth in juvenile justice and restorative practice contexts, and the training of educators in adopting active and trauma-informed pedagogical methodologies. The proposed approach demonstrated how the articulation between these two disciplines offers more integrated and effective responses for young populations in contexts of exclusion and risk.
Participation in this event reinforces the Fernando Pessoa University's commitment to the internationalisation of higher education and the sharing of specialised knowledge in European and global contexts, projecting research developed in Portugal in the areas of victimisation, psychosocial intervention, and evidence-based practices.