Paulo Sampaio, a professor at the School of Engineering of the University of Minho, is the first Portuguese national to chair the European Organisation for Quality (EOQ), founded 70 years ago and bringing together national quality associations, representing tens of thousands of professionals. The appointment recognises the career of Paulo Sampaio, who is also president of the Portuguese Association for Quality, as well as the ongoing work of this organisation and Portuguese experts in the field.

“Quality is increasingly crucial to the competitiveness, innovation and sustainability of organisations, and during this term of office until 2029, we want to promote excellence in European organisations through international cooperation, knowledge sharing and the promotion of best practices,” emphasises Paulo Sampaio.

The professor approaches his new role “with humility, but with great strength and motivation”, whilst also hoping that Portugal will strengthen its European and global position in quality. Based in Brussels (Belgium), the EOQ’s mission is the development of European society through the promotion of quality in its broadest sense.

A leading figure in research

Paulo Sampaio, a 47-year-old native of Braga, holds a PhD in Production and Systems Engineering from UMinho, where he is a researcher at the ALGORITMI Centre and director and lecturer in the Department of Production and Systems. At the university, he has previously served as vice-president of the School of Engineering, director of the Industrial Engineering and Management course and an elected member of the General Council, amongst other roles. He has authored over 200 scientific articles and received numerous honours, including the Feigenbaum Medal, the most prestigious award for young scientists in the field, and was included in the list of the “40 New Voices of Quality” by the American Society for Quality’s Quality Progress magazine.