TheFundação para a Ciência e Tecnlogia (FCT) announced the provisional results of the Call for Associated Laboratory (AL) status. The School of Engineering is now present in four Associate Laboratories.

The School of Engineering renews its indirect participation in INESC TEC (through HASLab – High-Assurance Software Laboratory). Besides this one, three more are now joined. The Associated Laboratory in Bio/Chemical/Micro-Nano/Electromechanical Technology (AL4TECH) is totally based in the School of Engineering and brings together the know-how of the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB) and the Center for MicroElectroMechanics Systems (CMEMS).

The Associate Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LASI) is led by the Centro ALGORITMI of the School of Engineering and joins the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC), also of the School of Engineering, in addition to 11 other research centers in the country.

As for the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE)​​​​ it joins the Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems Associated Laboratory (ARISE), with another five entities.

For António Vicente, Vice Dean of the School of Engineering for Research, Scientific Management, Knowledge Enhancement and Internationalization, “it is absolutely essential the collaboration, at various levels, of the vast majority of our Research Centers in State Associated Laboratories, given its relevance in the Portuguese scientific and technological system and also for its connection to the pursuit of public policies defined by the State as being of particular importance for the development of the country”. This collaboration is essential because it reflects the relevance of the School of Engineering in the national panorama of science and technology, and also because it allows to project the activities of the School to the level of excellence, where it aims to be positioned, according to António Vicente.

The associate laboratories involve one or more research units, which join efforts to pursue certain national scientific and technological policy objectives defined by the Government. These laboratories must ensure a certain level of human resources and scientific infrastructure that allows them to promote, in a sustained manner, scientific and technical careers for doctorate holders. Their status is granted for a period of up to ten years, which can be renewed, but subject to interim evaluations.

Source: UMinho