The former Gare do Arco do Cego will be converted into Técnico Innovation Center – a multipurpose space, open 24 hours a day, which aims to promote the link between academia and society and to disseminate the knowledge and innovation carried out at Técnico. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Técnico Innovation Center took place this Monday, October 18.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Portuguese government, such as the Secretary of State for the Valorization of the Interior, professor Isabel Ferreira, the Minister of the Sea, professor Ricardo Serrão Santos, and the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, professor Manuel Heitor, some high-level military representatives, several members of Técnico community (partners, professors, researchers and students) and entity representatives.
The president of Técnico, professor Rogério Colaço, highlighted the dedication of everyone involved in the entire process and the lack of external funding that delayed the start of this project “which will mark Técnico and its community (…), and will positively impact the city of Lisbon, the Portuguese university and the country”.
“Técnico Innovation Center will always have its doors open to society”, said professor Rogério Colaço. “Técnico has been strengthening the link with society, which involves establishing strong business partnerships and collaborative projects with business partners; redesigning 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle courses, so that students can be exposed to real problems faced by our partner companies, thus improving links between university and business”, he added.
“The trust placed in Técnico increases our responsibility to contribute more and better to training and talent development, knowledge creation, innovation, wealth and qualified employment, and also to the resolution of the massive challenges facing Portugal”, said the president of Técnico.
The full name of this disruptive space will be “Técnico Innovation Center, Powered by Fidelidade”. According to the CEO of Fidelidade, Rogério Henriques, “this is a project where business powers the academic world with this financial support, but also with challenges and mutual learning. Técnico and Fidelidade share the same passion for innovation; we believe that knowledge and technology transfer between universities and companies is one of the solutions to many endemic problems of our country”.
“Our collaboration with Técnico will not end here. We will continue to look for Técnico students as potential collaborators, fostering deeper engagement between academia and business, and we will actively promote the acceleration of innovation and the development of joint research projects”, said the CEO of Fidelidade.
According to the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, professor Manuel Heitor, this project “is a good example” of what should be the collaboration between the public sector and companies. “We live in times where social, economic and scientific context depend on an increasing collaborative effort. We need more science, we certainly need more basic knowledge. Sustainable science and basic knowledge depend on a sustainable economy and vice versa”.
The Secretary of State for the Valorization of the Interior, professor Isabel Ferreira, and the Minister of the Sea, professor Ricardo Serrão Santos, highlighted that Técnico Innovation Center can play a key role in enabling better Science and Technology transfer to society.
The Técnico Innovation Center will include a study space for students, a cafeteria, an exhibition space/space of interaction between Técnico and the city of Lisbon, covering 2000 square meters, which will also host the Técnico innovative projects.
The project is a joint initiative between Instituto Superior Técnico and the Lisbon City Hall and has the support of the Lisbon Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-LVT) and Fidelidade.
The construction works will start this Tuesday and are scheduled to be completed during the first half of 2023.
