Instituto Superior Técnico is part of the consortium responsible for creating an Institute for sustainable development, formalising its participation by signing a memorandum of understanding with Oeiras City Council and Tratolixo – the inter-municipal company responsible for treating solid urban waste in the Greater Lisbon region. The agreement, signed on 9 April, also involves the School of Agriculture (ISA), Faculty of Sciences (FCUL) and the Lisbon School of Economics & Management (ISEG), organic units of Universidade de Lisboa.
The newly established Institute for Sustainability is dedicated to developing scientific and technological solutions that promote environmental, economic, and social sustainability through collaboration among academic institutions, local authorities, and business organisations. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance the local area and promote ecological transition, with a specific emphasis on the municipality of Oeiras.
According to Miguel Amado, the vice-president of Técnico for Sustainability and Infrastructures, the Institute ‘aims to create a national “hub” of reference for sustainability encompassing its various social, environmental and economic dimensions for education and research. The Institute will work collaboratively, offering services to the community based on the dynamisation of systems, processes and projects that contribute to a resilient, prosperous and equitable future’.
‘The Institute will contribute to a more sustainable future for Portugal and the world by fostering multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary partnerships that design, promote and implement solutions to complex problems related to the development of countries, companies and organisations in general with a view to sustainable development’, he adds.
The memorandum now signed establishes the general principles of cooperation between the entities, providing for the development of joint projects, innovation initiatives and technical and scientific training programmes. The implementation phase will begin in the coming months, with the creation of the governance structure and the planning of the first activities.
Técnico’s participation in the Institute ensures the contribution of engineering and applied science in responding to challenges such as climate change, energy transition and sustainable resource management.
