A Year of Overcoming – Nepuga's Academic Director Talks About 2021

If she could describe 2021 for Nepuga in one word, Dr. Ana Carolina Puga, academic director of the institution, would say overcoming. 

Since the beginning of the year, Nepuga went through significant changes that were important for the institution's development and progress. But before reaping good fruits, the entire Nepuga community, including students and staff, had to adapt to these transformations. 

“This year was not simple. We decided to put into practice a project we had postponed because of the pandemic. We adapted to this new reality and, right at the start of 2021, we implemented the change. It was not easy, but once again, Nepuga came out as a pioneer in Aesthetic Health education and brought benefits to our students,” explained Dr. Ana Carolina Puga. 

Check out Dr. Ana Carolina Puga's full interview about 2021 and what the director expects for next year. 

Transformation – the main changes at Nepuga 

For Dr. Ana Carolina Puga, it would not have been possible to move forward within the institution without change. 

“I knew we were going to change the  wheel of a moving car, but we needed to. Without these changes, we could not continue. With the pandemic in 2020, I realized it was time to adapt our teaching model, bringing part of Nepuga online, but still with a lot of quality. It was a big challenge, but today, at the end of this year, I could see that all the effort was essential,” said the director.  

The hybrid model, adopted by Nepuga and refined throughout this academic year, allowed not only for the specializations to continue during the pandemic, but also for more health professionals to study. 

“Even in this difficult time, we could not stop offering the minimum that Nepuga has always delivered: quality education. We had to keep transforming lives, and the best way was to adopt hybrid learning. But I had a big surprise: there were many accounts from professionals who were only able to start the postgraduate program after we adapted to the hybrid model. So this challenge, as complicated as it was at the beginning and despite the problems we had, we managed to overcome it, bring more quality, and help transform more lives.”

According to the director, the adaptations were difficult at first, but by the first quarter of 2021 everything was back to normal. The main concern was how students would adopt the new system. 

But for a good adaptation, it was necessary to offer students a good structure, and Dr. Ana Carolina Puga knew that some changes would have to be made, such as those that took place with the staff team.

“I knew that at that moment, with that adaptation to reality, we needed to grow our team and bring in qualified professionals to offer the best experience to our students. And that is exactly what we did: we brought to Nepuga professionals who would make a difference, and they really did. The results speak for themselves. We worked hard, but today we see that the effort was worth it.”

The gains of 2021

Even while reaping good fruits from all the dedication and effort of 2021, the main gain was something else. For Dr. Ana Carolina Puga, the victory of the year was the health and well-being of her entire team. 

“The greatest reward of 2021 was that none of our staff or their family members got sick. We worked to take every precaution, following all the rules, and in the end, everyone is well. And we also did not hear of any student who fell ill or had any complications  from Covid-19. So I believe that is the greatest  result.”

The director explained that, at first, the internal operations of Nepuga also went through adaptations during the pandemic, but with flexibility and redoubled precautions, returning to headquarters was possible.

“We know the importance of the well-being and health  of our staff, which is why our precautions continue. In-person work is essential for a good part of the team, so we sought some adaptations within headquarters to combine the quality  of teaching that would only be possible with our staff working in person”.

Expectations for 2022

In addition to the 2021 review, the director also talked about expectations and plans for 2022. 

“We have news for next year. If this year was about adaptation, now we want to build on this new model and offer more and more quality content to our students”.

Among the news, Dr. Ana talked about Nepuga's new postgraduate programs, the new Masterclasses, and her newest project: the audio drama A Beleza Invisível (The Invisible Beauty). 

“Among the news for 2022, and we are preparing a lot for our students, the highlight is a project that departs a little from the education line, but is essential for the development of professionals, because we are going to work on life issues, challenges, overcoming, obstacles, improving the personal side. That project is the audio drama A Beleza Invisível which goes on the air on January 1,” explained the director.

Dr. Ana Carolina Puga  ended the interview by talking about the team's preparation for next year. 

“I trust my team and my work. I know our capacity and how much they give to the growth and development of Nepuga. That is why I believe 2022 will be a year of success and great rewards for everyone at our institution,” the director concluded.”

Institutional|News