The curriculum of master’s programmes at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, includes a significant number of ECTS credits allocated for student-selected options – and this is where the Minors come into play.

From July 1 to July 31, students planning to pursue a master’s programme at Técnico in the upcoming academic year can apply for a Minor in a scientific field distinct from their degree programme to complement their education.

Each Minor consists of a coherent set of curricular units around a specific theme, with formal recognition on the diploma supplement. The curricular units within the chosen Minor must not predominantly belong to the same field as the master’s programme the student is attending.

“Minors were created to diversify and enhance the education of master’s students, responding to the growing need for more versatile and interdisciplinary profiles”, explains Inês Lynce, vice-president of the Scientific Council at Técnico, who also explains that “pursuing a Minor is, above all, a decision aimed at personal growth – it involves stepping out of one’s comfort zone and exploring areas beyond one’s main field of study, which, rather than being a limitation, proves to be an advantage”, as it allows “students to bring a different perspective shaped by their original field of study”, which “enriches their approach to new topics”.

Inês Lynce, who also teaches the Artificial Intelligence curricular unit – as part of the Minors in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence – explains that she has had “the privilege of working with students from various master’s programmes, including Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Physics and Mechanical Engineering”. “The diversity of perspectives they brought into the classroom was remarkable: they enriched discussions, challenged assumptions and proposed solutions that their peers, with a more homogeneous background, often failed to consider – this experience represents a real and lasting added value to the training of any engineer”, she adds.

The number of available Minors may be limited. Applications must be submitted via the application platform; applicants may select up to six Minors, indicating their order of preference.

The results will be announced on 31 August 2026, in accordance with the Academic Calendar.