NOVA School of Science and Technology

NOVA School of Science and Technology
FCT NOVA · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	NOVA School of Science and Technology
Native name	Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Established	1977
Type	Public
City	Caparica
Country	Portugal

NOVA School of Science and Technology is a public faculty of Universidade Nova de Lisboa located in Caparica, Portugal. It focuses on engineering, natural sciences, and technology, offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The school is integrated into Portuguese and European higher education networks and collaborates with industrial partners and research centers.

History

The faculty was founded in 1977 amid higher education reforms in Portugal and the expansion of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Its early decades saw interaction with institutions such as Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, University of Coimbra, University of Porto, and international partners like École Polytechnique, Imperial College London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Technische Universität München. The school participated in European initiatives associated with the Bologna Process, engaged with frameworks like Erasmus Programme, and established research ties with organizations including European Commission, European Space Agency, CERN, and industry groups such as Siemens, Bosch, and Philips. Notable milestones include program accreditations, expansion of doctoral schools, and the launching of multidisciplinary research units linked to national funding agencies like Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.

Campus and Facilities

The Caparica campus sits near the Tagus River estuary and the Costa da Caparica coastline, providing proximity to marine environments used by researchers collaborating with entities such as Instituto Hidrográfico, Portugal's Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, and Observatório Astronómico de Lisboa. Facilities include laboratories for materials science, electronics, biotechnology, and computing, with instrumentation comparable to suites at Fraunhofer Society, Max Planck Society, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The campus hosts lecture theatres, maker spaces, and high-performance computing clusters interoperable with networks like PRACE and GÉANT. Partnerships with local hospitals and clinics such as Hospital da Cruz Vermelha, Hospital Santa Maria, and research hospitals support biomedical engineering and clinical projects. Student amenities connect to municipal infrastructure in Almada and transport links to Lisbon and Lisbon Airport.

Academic Programs

Programs span undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, and sciences such as Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Graduate offerings include master's and doctoral programs aligned with disciplines represented at institutions like Universidade de Aveiro, NOVA School of Business and Economics, ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, and international partners such as École des Mines de Paris and Delft University of Technology. Curricula incorporate internships with corporations such as Galp Energia, Efacec, REN, and research placements at centers like INESC Coimbra and INL. The school supports joint and double degree arrangements with universities such as University of Strasbourg, University of Bologna, and University of Southern Denmark.

Research and Institutes

Research themes include renewable energy, nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, information systems, and environmental science. The faculty hosts research units affiliated with national and European consortia, collaborating with organizations like Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Instituto Superior Técnico's IDMEC, Centro de Investigação em Engenharia Civil e Arquitectura, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, and EMBL. Projects have been funded through programs administered by Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and national agencies including Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and Portugal 2020. Spin-offs and technology transfer efforts have led to companies engaging with incubators such as Taguspark, Startup Lisboa, and international accelerators including Y Combinator alumni networks. The school participates in research infrastructures like ELIXIR, ESFRI nodes, and marine observatories connected to IOC-UNESCO initiatives.

Admissions and Student Life

Admissions follow Portuguese and international procedures involving national exams and centralized applications, with pathways for students from systems like Conselho Nacional de Educação procedures, and international frameworks such as ENEM and SAT for some applicants. The student body engages in associations including the faculty's students' union, competitive groups in robotics and solar car competitions linked to organizations like Formula Student, RoboCup, and the Shell Eco-marathon. Cultural and athletic life connects to municipal clubs in Almada and Lisbon-based federations like Federação Portuguesa de Futebol and community groups tied to festivals such as Festa de Santo António and Festas de Lisboa. Housing and student services coordinate with local municipalities and national social programs.

Rankings and Reputation

The faculty is recognized regionally and appears in national and international assessments alongside peers such as Instituto Superior Técnico, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, and University of Porto. It is evaluated in international ranking systems including Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings, and ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities components, particularly for engineering and technology indicators. The school’s research output is indexed in databases like Scopus, Web of Science, and cited in journals published by Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Wiley, contributing to its academic reputation.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni and faculty have links to Portuguese and international institutions, industry, and government, including researchers affiliated with Universidade de Lisboa, European Space Agency, CERN, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and corporations such as EDP Renováveis and Galp Energia. Several have held leadership roles in research centers, startups, and policy advisory positions interacting with bodies like European Commission directorates and national ministries. Awards and recognitions among affiliates include honors from organizations such as the European Research Council, Royal Society, Portuguese Order of Merit, and scientific prizes administered by academies like the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa.

Category:Universities and colleges in Portugal