“Para além do enem”: as representações sociais dos diversos públicos envolvidas no “programa de acesso democrático à universidade” – padu.

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to describe the different social representations of the public involved in the Program of Democratic Access to the University (PADU) and to identify its relation with social responsibility. Thus, in addition to the social responsibility understood as an obligation of the conventional capitalist companies, this work analyzes from a Higher Education Institution (IES), that is, the approach of the Federal University of Tocantins (UFT) to the community in which is inserted through the popular PADU curriculum. This research is classified as a qualitative and exploratory research, having as methods of collecting data the bibliographical research, documentary and the accomplishment of 28 open interviews. The main results show that, although there is little support from the higher levels of the University, PADU is a viable alternative to a portion of the Araguaína -TO society that would not be able to enter a university course through a conventional course, Para those involved the predominant representation is of a Program that has in fact the power to change the reality of people, including providing teachers with their professional experience.