In late March, INESC TEC hosted the international workshop Shaping the Future: Strategic Collaboration in Technology and Public Policy, an initiative promoted within the scope of the Carnegie Mellon Portugal (CMU Portugal) programme, which brought together researchers, policymakers and experts from Portugal and the United States to discuss the role of science and technology in shaping public policy.
Held in a hybrid format between Porto, Lisbon and Pittsburgh, the event included representatives from PLANAPP (Centre for Planning and Evaluation of Public Policies), the leadership of the CMU Portugal programme, faculty from the Department of Engineering and Public Policy (EPP) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Portuguese universities, as well as representatives from public administration and ministerial offices dedicated to strategic areas like the economy, innovation, environment and state reform.
The workshop built on work initiated in November 2025 between PLANAPP, the CMU Portugal programme and CMU’s Department of Engineering and Public Policy, towards boosting collaboration and developing operational agendas that leverage scientific and technological knowledge to support the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies in Portugal.
The exchange of ideas began in the morning and continued until the end of the afternoon, with sessions dedicated to the three themes guiding the event: Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy, Energy and Clean Technologies, and Critical and Emerging Technologies. “A dialogue that public institutions need,” said Inês Lynce, co-director of phase IV of the CMU Portugal programme, highlighting the importance of creating spaces where researchers, policymakers and public administration can work together. As was emphasised at the outset, institutions need more than access to information – they require structured contexts for collaboration that enable knowledge to be translated into action.
The initiative reinforced the commitment of INESC TEC and partners to contribute to more informed policies, grounded in evidence and focusing on current challenges. Ultimately, the event proved to be more than a moment for reflection: it fostered high-level positioning and established detailed operational agendas for joint work to connect the scientific and technological knowledge generated within the CMU Portugal Programme with the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies in Portugal.
Designed as a highly participatory process, the workshop combined plenary sessions with thematic working groups. During the morning, strategic frameworks and initial contributions were presented by researchers and experts, helping to map concrete challenges and opportunities in each area, from climate neutrality and energy poverty to the responsible use of AI in the public sector.
Lia Patrício, Scientific Director for Engineering and Public Policy within the CMU Portugal programme, was responsible for presenting the “strategic impact” generated under the partnership between CMU Portugal and CMU’s Department of EPP. She highlighted concrete examples of the impact created through research developed under this collaboration, as well as the creation and consolidation of the EPP field in Portugal through doctoral programmes – from which graduates have gone on to contribute to scientific, business and institutional ecosystems worldwide. The INESC TEC Board member also pointed to the programme’s influence in terms of innovation: this collaboration with CMU has already enabled several companies to grow and reach new levels.
Throughout the sessions, participants sought to identify and prioritise the main political and societal challenges in Portugal across the three domains (AI and public policy, energy and clean technologies, and critical and emerging technologies) to understand where research developed within the CMU Portugal programme can generate the greatest added value for public policy in the country.
The collaborative work brought together contributions from the various institutions represented at the workshop (PLANAPP, INESC TEC, CMU, Instituto Superior Técnico, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, NOVA University Lisbon, LNEG, ADENE, Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS). This made it possible to outline the first steps towards structured agendas for future cooperation, clarifying opportunities in research, policy support and skills development, in a joint effort between academia and public administration.
This was followed by parallel group sessions, where participants identified specific public policy needs in Portugal, gaps in knowledge and analytical capacity, and the potential role of international academic collaboration in addressing these challenges. During the afternoon, the focus shifted to defining priority lines of collaboration, identifying partners and exploring funding opportunities, including national and European programmes and initiatives oriented towards public policy.
The workshop concluded with a plenary session featuring Gabriel Osório (PLANAPP), Joe DeCarolis (CMU) and Lia Patrício (INESC TEC), who reflected on a day of exchange and outlined a shared roadmap for the future, including responsibilities and timelines for action. This includes exploring pilot-projects, joint research initiatives and training activities to reinforce the link between academia and public administration.
The partnership with CMU Portugal is currently in the fourth phase and is particularly significant in the context of national public policies, aligning with strategies such as Portugal 2030 and other agendas for economic, digital and environmental transformation.
News, current topics, curiosities and so much more about INESC TEC and its community!
