The self-assessment of the PPG in Applied Physics aims to improve student training and increase the intellectual production of the program. In this quadrennium, the self-assessment process took place in two stages. The first was developed in partnership with the Pro-Rectory for Research and Graduate Studies at UFRPE and for the second, a board outside the university was invited, formed by two members with experience in the evaluation of Capes in the area of Physics / Astronomy. Below, we describe each of these steps in detail. First stage of the PPGFA self-assessment process In 2019, the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco formed a Commission made up of professors and students of the Graduate Studies, as well as members of the Own Evaluation Commission, to initiate the institutional process of Self-Assessment of Graduate Programs, based on the recommendation of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES). Since UFRPE's mission is “To build and disseminate knowledge and innovation, through teaching, research and extension activities, attentive to society's aspirations”, while the PPG's mission in Applied Physics is “To promote the training of human resources in areas of theoretical and experimental physics, at the postgraduate level, that can contribute to the production of knowledge and innovation in research activities ”, the self-assessment process enabled Institutional Planning related to the growth and consolidation of Postgraduate studies, with quality academic and social responsibility, aiming to contribute to the resolution of problems that affect society and environmental conditions in the State of Pernambuco and the Northeast Region.
The study was based on the model developed by another institution of higher education, which consisted of personalized questionnaires for the students, teachers and administrative technicians linked to the PPG. Then, the questionnaires, adapted by the Commission to the particularities of UFRPE, were sent to the coordinators of the Postgraduate Programs (PPG), for knowledge and suggestions. After the suggested adjustments were made, the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies transformed the questionnaires into electronic forms and sent them to the PPG coordinators, for later referral to their students, teachers and administrative technicians. After the period instituted for execution, the data obtained from each PPG were sent separately to their respective coordination, with the objective of carrying out the analysis and dissemination of the results. Likewise, the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies proceeded to analyze the data set of all PPG, which resulted in the elaboration of the I SELF-ASSESSMENT REPORT OF THE UFRPE GRADUATE PROGRAMS (http: // www .prppg.ufrpe.br / sites / www.prppg.ufrpe.br / files /legislacao/relatorio_de_autoavaliacao_ppg_ufrpe.pdf), which will guide the actions of the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, aiming to improve the management of post-graduation and research carried out at the institution and consolidate itself as a reference in its different areas of activity. The Graduate Program in Applied Physics analyzed the research data for students and professors sent by the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. Each questionnaire applied was composed of 7 topics subdivided into items to which a concept should be indicated. In the survey, each item could receive the following concepts: Very Weak (Weight 1); Weak (Weight 2); Regular (Weight 3); Good (Weight 4); Very Good (Weight 5). In this way, it was possible to obtain an average concept for each item, for each topic and finally a general average concept for the program, both for the research carried out with teachers and students. In this survey, around 73% of students and 80% of teachers answered the questionnaire.