Knowledge Networks News Beginning of the MIT - Portugal Program Preparation Beginning of the MIT - Portugal Program Preparation
- 25/02/2006
Today, 25 February 2006, saw the signing at the CCB – Belém Cultural Centre, Lisbon, of an accord between MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology formalising a collaboration process which will seek to identify and select programs and institutions in Portugal which will be able to make fullest use of the intended bilateral relations. The accord was signed between the Chancellor of MIT, Phil Clay, and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, José Mariano Gago, in the presence of the Prime Minister, José Sócrates.
MIT will in particular analyse the possibility of developing advanced research and training initiatives on technology-based systems involving areas of Engineering and Management in relevant multidisciplinary aspects of interest for both parties.
Special attention will be given to the following topics:
- Innovation in manufacturing industries, including the management of supply chains in sectors such as the automobile and aeronautical industry;
- Energy systems, including renewable energies and giving special emphasis to the integration of distributed energy production systems and environmental issues;
- Transportation systems, including the project to manage airport infrastructures and railway networks, as well as intelligent transportation systems.
The MIT Engineering Systems Division will lead the discovery and development work in the next five months in Portugal, and the MIT Sloan School of Management and other MIT Divisions will also be involved.
In all the areas under analysis, the necessary conditions to stimulate the entrepreneurial skill of the young students and Portuguese companies will be considered as well as activities to commercialise technology, using Portuguese institutions in collaboration with MIT.
Additionally, the planned work for the next few months will include an analysis of the potential for institutional development in Portugal for an area of studies and advanced programs in Management, involving either a single higher educational institution, or a consortium of Portuguese institutions, linked to the MIT Sloan School of Management and other MIT divisions, including the Engineering Systems Division.
Contacts with Portuguese institutions will be started at a national level, in such a way as to guarantee the active involvement of various national groups and institutions.
The MIT – Portugal Program forms part of the Knowledge Networks activities which seek to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation with institutions of recognised international merit in a way that enables innovative projects that effectively help boost scientific and advanced training capability in Portugal.
The program aims to promote the meaningful internationalisation of Portuguese higher educational institutions by facilitating partnerships which increase the range of programs on offer which operate at an international level, as well as strengthening the recruitment of teaching staff and researchers and, furthermore, stimulating economic growth through science-based innovation, and so attracting new talents and activities with greater added value, as well as enabling access to new markets by technology-based Portuguese companies.
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