LIDERA: Media literacy project in libraries approved under the IDI&CA 2026 Call for Proposals

The project LIDERA – Reading Daily Information to Choose, Reflect and Act, promoted by the UNESCO Chair of Communication, Media and Information Literacy and Citizenship (ESCS-UPL/LIACOM), the ERC – Portuguese Regulatory Authority for the Media, and the School Libraries Network (RBE/EduQA), has been awarded funding under the 10th edition of the Polytechnic University of Lisbon‘s internal call for Research, Development, Innovation and Artistic Creation projects (IDI&CA).

LIDERA received the highest score among the three projects approved at the School of Communication and Media Studies (ESCS), out of a total of seven applications. The results were announced on 6 November, with 36 projects approved from a total of 75 applications submitted across the Polytechnic University of Lisbon.

As described in the proposal, “LIDERA aims to increase media literacy and news reading in Portugal through a cascading methodology: facilitators from school, university and municipal libraries receive training and replicate the sessions locally”.

The funding awarded will enable the development of applied research through the implementation of mechanisms to evaluate and monitor activities, contributing to the consolidation of the media literacy training methodology already tested in 2025/2026.

The study will also enable the collection and generation of data on the promotion of media literacy in Portugal and contribute to scientific knowledge on the design and evaluation of programmes in this field, strengthening the country’s existing evidence base.

The project aims to involve at least 100 facilitators from libraries across the country, in 12 sessions/workshops, reaching more than 3,500 end users.

The research team comprises Fernanda Bonacho (Principal Investigator), Maria José Mata, Vera Moutinho, Zélia Santos and Margarida Alpuim, together with four experts from the partner institutions.

With a total budget of 5,000 euros, the project will start on 30 November 2026 and run for 18 months, until 31 May 2028.