On 8 April, the Department of Computer Science (DI) at the School of Engineering of the University of Minho launched the celebrations marking 50 years of formal teaching of Computer Science at the university.
The opening session took place in the B1 auditorium on the Gualtar campus in Braga in the early afternoon, attended by the Rector, Pedro Arezes, the President of the EEUM, António Vicente, and the Director of the DI, Luís Soares Barbosa. This was followed by a commemorative round-table discussion with several lecturers and, finally, the opening of an exhibition in the DI building (Building 7 on the Gualtar campus).
Until April 2027, the 50th-anniversary celebrations will include seminars, round-table discussions, a workshop and a social gathering. The activities are open to the public and are supported by the UMinho student associations for Computer Science (CeSIUM) and Computer Science (NECC), as well as the research centres Algoritmi and INESC TEC, the Braga District Archives and various companies.
In 1976–77, the Production Engineering – Systems specialisation was launched – a pioneering programme in the country – which included subjects such as Programming Languages, Computer Systems and Data Processing, with the final semester dedicated to an industrial placement, thereby facilitating the integration of future engineers into the labour market. This was the embryo of an educational programme that grew and diversified successfully, leaving its mark on successive generations of students and generating a vibrant ecosystem of innovation, which has become a benchmark for UMinho, the region and the country.
In his speech, the Rector of UMinho, Professor Pedro Arezes, stated that his hope “is that these 50 years are not merely a point of arrival, but a starting point for an even more demanding and inspiring future”.
For his part, the Dean of the School of Engineering, Professor António Vicente, remarked that “it is a source of immense pride to have Computer Science with us”, highlighting the impact of this field on the School, both in attracting students (around one-third of undergraduate students) and in the “network of interconnections” with research and industry.
The Head of the Department of Computer Science, Professor Luís Soares Barbosa, recalled that “in 1995, the Department of Computer Science organised the first national conference on the World Wide Web (…) hosted the Republic’s first institutional website, and it was also from here that the first email message was sent”.
The School of Engineering congratulates all members of this community: students, alumni, lecturers, researchers, technical, administrative and management staff, and, in particular, all those who laid the foundations of Computer Science at UMinho, enabling the entire academic community to celebrate this 50th anniversary, which has been full of successes and memorable achievements.
RUM Report
