The Science of INESC TEC

Science has always played a vital role at INESC TEC; it underpins our ability to act, transform, and innovate. Without the excellent scientific work of our researchers, we would not have achieved the impact for which we are widely recognised today. 

Our organisation is built around teams with critical mass, prepared to address concrete challenges – whether posed by national and international collaborative projects or by companies seeking advanced solutions. This organisational model is also crucial for ensuring the sustainability and continuity of scientific activity: it allows time for thinking and researching with depth and ambition, key conditions for excellence. 

At the same time, continuous interaction with companies and other societal stakeholders exposes our teams to demanding, real-world problems. Far from distracting from science, this exposure is important to improve skills that are now fundamental to scientific research: adaptability, cross-sector collaboration, and a focus on impact. 

Today, we have a clear strategic framework to further reinforce the excellence of our Science. On the one hand, INESC TEC’s Strategic Plan embraces this commitment and launched programmes and initiatives that are already underway. On the other hand, the systematisation of scientific activities into defined scientific domains and the challenge-based research planning help us better communicate what we do, where we want to go, and how we intend to get there. 

This approach facilitates comparisons with peer institutions, guides strategic decisions, and encourages stronger scientific partnerships. It also creates a clear space for each researcher to define their work, share their vision, and actively contribute to the collective pursuit of scientific excellence at INESC TEC. 

But science is not made up only of publications and projects; it is made by people, with bold ideas, capable of asking difficult questions and, with persistence, seeking the best answers. Hence, we rely on everyone to help us continue taking INESC TEC’s science to new heights – with ambition, responsibility, and pride in what we do. 

By Aníbal Matos, member of the Board