New challenges of a unique and new world

By Ana Lemos – Management Control Service

I was asked to write about INESC TEC, which means giving my opinion concerning the period between late February and today.

Looking back on the year that (has almost) passed, namely on this new life, characterised by a new professional challenge at INESC TEC, and, at a personal level, affected by the word “pandemic”, it’s hard not to focus exclusively on the adversities that got out of our control, forcing us to resort to our inner strength and seek positive answers. Moreover, we had to look inside ourselves for a more promising direction, at personal and institutional levels.

These were, and still are, uncertain times, with a world facing a slow economic growth, motivating our daily activities to prevent it from stopping. In view of this framework, please allow me to talk about the people that are part of this organisation, with whom I face challenges that I considered unimaginable. I’m not talking about the challenges of teleworking and managing our daily lives, but the trials of not knowing what tomorrow will bring, and how the world we know will survive.

INESC TEC, as an organised family, showed me that people are the most important thing, and that together we can overcome all adversities. In fact, it showed me that addressing issues as a group is crucial, making us important elements to meet our goals of prosperity and growth.

And this is why INESC TEC is at the forefront of all the opportunities emerging during this context, prepared to address the demanding needs in terms of innovation and digital and technological transformation – by acknowledging the importance of investing and resorting to highly qualified professionals, and defining key strategies to guide itself and others during these times of change.

I am sure that the future requires a proactive, cohesive and plural dynamic, and a commitment to “thinking” and “acting”; and I am convinced that this family is prepared and capable of achieving this goal. As for me, I plan to keep on contributing, while striving to keep the high standards of scientific excellence that makes us very proud.