Maria João Pena holds a PhD in Social Work, MA in Sociology and bachelor degree in Social Work. Director bachelor degree in Social Work is also professor at master and doctorate program. She is a researcher in CIES-IUL (Centre for research and studies in Sociology). The research interests are in Theory and Epistemology of social work , social work practices with children and families, at school and in disability.

Ana Caetano, Ph.D. in Sociology (ISCTE-IUL), is a researcher at the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES-IUL) and an assistant professor in the Department of Social Research Methods of the School of Sociology and Public Policy at ISCTE-IUL. Her main research interests are biographical disruptions, personal reflexivity, structure-agency relation and biographical methods. She recently coordinated the project "Biographical echoes: triangulation in study of life histories" (2018-2022) and she was also part of the project "Linked lives: a mixed multilevel longitudinal approach to family life course" (2018-2022), both funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).  

Elsa Justino, a Portuguese Social Worker, holds a PhD in Social Work, with a Master's degree and a degree in the same area. She's an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science and Public Policies at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL) and an integrated research member at the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES/Iscte - IUL). From 2019 to 2022, she was on the Board of the Hospital Center in the Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (CHTMAD). From 2016 to 2022, she was an Invited Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD). Among other leading positions, she was a University Administrator at the UTAD and Manager of the University Social Services (2008-2019), Head of Office of the Secretary of State for Employment and Vocational Training (2006-2008), Deputy Director of the Directorate General for Higher Education from 2002 to 2006 (Ministry of Science Technology and Higher Education) and Vice-President of the Student Support Fund (Ministry of Education) from 1998 to 2002.

PhD in Sociology, in Theory and Method. Full Professor in the Department of Social Research Methods at ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon. Director of School of Sociology and Public Policies. Director of the Postgraduate in Data Analysis in Social Sciences. Expert in methodological issues and quantitative data analysis. Senior researcher at the Center for the Research and Study of Sociology (CIES-ISCTE-IUL). Area of research is focused inside the quantitative and multivariate methods for categorical and quantitative variables, mainly methods of interdependence and dependence; multilevel models; longitudinal models; measurement models, mediation and moderation models; estimation with bootstrapping. She teaches several courses of multivariate statistics and advanced data analyses on Master and PhD Programs. She has coordinated research projects and she has participated in several research national and international projects, developing her skills of advanced data analysis with quantitative methods. She has published several books and several articles in Portugal and abroad.

Jorge Ferreira, Associate Professor with Aggregation at Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. Aggregation in January 2024, on "Questioning Social Work as a Social Science" "Training/research in Social Work". PhD in Social Work in the speciality of Social Work, Social Policies and Society, (Approved with Distinction and Praise) carried out in association between ISCTE/ISSSL, on the theme: Social Work and Child Welfare Models. Modus Operandi of the Social Worker in Promoting Child and Family Protection. Master's Degree in Social Work on the theme: Social Intervention and Judicial Intervention in the Problem of Abused Children. Relation and/or Intersection (ISSSL:1998), after graduating in Social Work (ISSSL: 1990). Completed a postgraduate course at the Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada - History of Ideas and Major Doctrines in Criminology (ISPA: 1993), attended year zero "Systemic Approach" of the Family Therapy course (Associação Portuguesa de terapia Familiar: 1997), took the Pedagogical Aptitude and Scientific Capacity tests (ISSSL: 2000) on the subject of Mediation and Social Intervention in Justice. Further practical training after graduation abroad, in Psychiatric Rehabilitation at the Waterheuvel Foundation, Amsterdam / Holland (1993), in Psychiatric Rehabilitation at the Société Parisiene d'aide á lá Santé mental - SPASM .Paris (1993); Reintegration and Professional Integration at the Scottish Association for mental health . Scotland (1994). Participation in research programmes and projects in the areas of the Transfer of Action profiles, training, for the development of the helping relationship with people in situations of abandonment (Children, Adolescents); Social Work in Europe. Comparative Model in Romance Languages and in the fields of the Child Protection System; Children's Rights, Social Policies for Children and Social Intervention with Families. He has published 13 scientific articles and several papers at national and international seminars and conferences. He is a contributor to the Katálisis magazine (a biannual magazine that circulates in Spanish-speaking countries and Portugal and is aimed at social workers and professionals in related areas, teachers and researchers). Professor of different curricular units at 1st and 2nd cycle level. Visiting Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (Escuela de Trabajo Social) and the University of Granada (Escuela de Trabajo Social), collaborator with higher education institutions in Portugal (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. ISCTE) and in the scientific cooperation programmes of lecturers at the Lusíada University of Lisbon (Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Universidade dos Açores). In 2009, Accredited External Evaluator for New Opportunities. Member of the Jury for the Public Administration's 2nd level middle manager competition. Pedagogical and scientific coordinator and teacher of the Technological Specialisation Course (CET) "Reception in Institutions". (2008/2010). Several participations in the Socrates Erasmus Programme (teacher mobility) with European universities: Complutense de Madrid Spain, University of Kalmar Sweden, University of Mastrich, Netherlands, Bicocca University Milan Italy and University of Granada Spain. Stradinsk University Letavia. Scientific Areas of Training: Theory and Methodology of Social Work, Critical Theory and Social Work, Research in Social Work, Seminars in Social Work Practice, Evaluation of Social Policy Programmes, International Social Work; Research Methodologies, Specific Intervention Methodologies in Social Gerontology, Social Intervention in Situations of Risk, Social Intervention with Abusive Families, Network Intervention, Deviant Behaviours, Introduction to Criminology and Victimology.

Sociologist, associated professor and Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy at ISCTE-IUL and researcher at the Center for Research and Studies in Sociology, since 1987. Member of the National Council of Education. Former diretor of the Scientific Journal Sociology, Problems and Practices. The main research themes are policies to combat poverty and social exclusion, social policies, education and training policies, popular cultures, rehabilitation of people with disabilities, and planning and evaluation methodologies. He is the author of books, chapters of books,  articles and other papers (more than one hundred and a half) published in Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Mauritania, Belgium and Angola. He presented communications and lectures in about two hundred scientific meetings in Portugal and abroad. He was Director General of the Department of Studies, Prospects and Planning of the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity (1998-2001), Director General of the Directorate General of Innovation and Curriculum Development of the Ministry of Education (2006-2008) and President of the Agency For the Qualification (2008-2011). He was a member of the Employment Committee of the European Union. He is an active collaborator of diverse associations, of social, professional and local character.

PhD with international mention by the University of Huelva (Spain) in the Department of Sociology and Social Work. Full-time Social Work Assistant Professor at ISCTE- University Institute of Lisbon teaching different courses at the bachelors, masters and PhD Social Work programs. He holds the position of Master's Program Director in Social Work. He is a Researcher at CIES-IUL and a collaborating researcher of the Socio-educational Intervention Group in Social Contexts at UNED (Spain). His areas of interest are linked to Immigration (Superdiversity, Interculturalism, Mixed Couples, and Cultural Heritage in Children); Social Work Education; Social Exclusion, Human Rights and Social Work; and Digital Social Work.