On 15 January, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Lisboa, inaugurated its new Experimental Physics room, comprising several laboratories. The space reinforces Técnico’s commitment to modernising its teaching infrastructure in order to enhance pedagogical excellence and active learning.
The set of laboratories is designed for students from all engineering programmes who wish to enhance their physics education with practical experience. “We want these laboratories to be spaces of freedom and creativity, where students can build prototypes, bring their ideas to life, and develop essential skills such as problem solving and critical thinking”, explained Ilídio Lopes, Head of the Department of Physics.
The President of Técnico, Rogério Colaço, stated that this initiative is part of an investment made following extensive consultations with students in 2022. During these discussions, students identified infrastructure as a major constraint on the quality of teaching. “This investment directly addresses that need and must continue”, he emphasised, highlighting the importance of improving the quality of teaching at Técnico.
Ilídio Lopes emphasised the strategic importance of the new laboratory, stating that “it represents not a break with the past but a continuation of a legacy”. He highlighted that the inauguration “is proof that Técnico prioritises current teaching practices at the centre of its mission”. Furthermore, he pointed out that the new laboratory is not just a place for conducting experiments, “it has been designed as a space where ways of thinking can be transformed”.
According to the professor, this new space will enable the development of projects based on active learning, “promoting critical thinking, autonomy, creativity and entrepreneurial skills, while consolidating the fundamentals of experimental physics”. “Students need to do more than just verify established laws of physics; they must learn to think like scientists”, he concluded.
The event was also attended by Eric Mazur, Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University, who helped design this new space. He highlighted the role of autonomy and creativity as fundamental drivers of student motivation and growth, noting that the space will foster “an environment that promotes essential skills”. He also emphasised the contribution of these new laboratories to improving the quality of teaching at Técnico.
