From Materials Science to Earth Sciences and Information Technologies: Ciências on the path of international cooperation

The Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) recently welcomed delegations from two Chinese universities: Tianjin University, on 22 June, and Beijing University of Science and Technology (BUST), on 3 July.

As has become tradition, and in close coordination with the Rectorate of the University of Lisbon, the delegations composed of members of their respective senior governing bodies were received by the rectoral team in an institutional meeting that also included representatives from the Faculty’s Board, as well as lecturers responsible for the scientific areas highlighted.

The welcome was then led by Conceição Freitas, Dean of Ciências ULisboa, accompanied by Vice Dean Carlos Duarte and Cristina Máguas.

During the first visit, from Tianjin University, the main areas of interest focused on Materials Science, Earth Sciences and Information Technologies. The programme also included a visit, guided by Professor António Branco, lecturer in the Department of Informatics, to the Laboratory for Natural Language Processing at Ciências, a unit with a long-standing tradition of cooperation with that university, supported by a cooperation agreement.

The visit from Beijing University of Science and Technology, meanwhile, centred mainly on Materials Science and also included the participation of Jorge Marques da Silva, Vice Dean of Ciências ULisboa, and Jorge Correia, lecturer and researcher in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, a unit that likewise maintains a strong tradition of collaboration with this institution.

During the meeting, it was noted that bilateral discussions had begun with a view to establishing solid academic cooperation in the field of Chemistry, framed within the Chinese-Foreign Cooperative Education (CCE) programme — an initiative that received strong encouragement from representatives of both institutions.

In both visits, Conceição Freitas reiterated Ciências’ openness and interest in deepening the existing cooperation with these universities, highlighting the diversity and excellence of the Faculty’s scientific areas, many of which are directly linked to major global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ciências ULisboa’s strategy for international cooperation focuses on strengthening existing partnerships while simultaneously promoting the development of new collaborations.

Grounded in the institution’s scientific and academic excellence, this commitment will continue to open new opportunities to address global challenges through joint projects and international mobility.