MIT-Portugal Program Enters Phase 4: A New Era of Innovation and Collaboration
After 19 years of groundbreaking collaboration, the MIT-Portugal Program (MPP) is embarking on its fourth phase, solidifying its commitment to fostering innovation and research between MIT and Portuguese institutions. This new chapter, formalized in March with an agreement between MIT and the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT), extends the program through 2030, promising continued exploration of cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and climate change.
“One of the advantages of having a program that has gone on so long is that we are pretty well familiar with each other at this point. Over the years, we’ve learned each other’s systems, strengths, and weaknesses and we’ve been able to create a synergy that would not have existed if we worked together for a short period of time,” said Douglas Hart, MIT mechanical engineering professor and MPP co-director.
The MPP has a rich history of achievements, including the creation of 47 entrepreneurial spinoffs and the funding of over 220 joint projects. The program has also played a pivotal role in training a generation of researchers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Portugal’s Minister for Education, Science, and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, emphasized the importance of the partnership: “Over the past two decades, the partnership with MIT has built a foundation of trust that has fostered collaboration among researchers and the development of projects with significant scientific impact and contributions to the Portuguese economy. In this new phase of the partnership, running from 2025 to 2030, we expect even greater ambition and impact — raising Portuguese science and its capacity to transform the economy and improve our society to even higher levels, while helping to address the challenges we face in areas such as climate change and the oceans, digitalization, and space.”
MIT President Sally Kornbluth echoed this sentiment, stating, “International collaborations like the MIT-Portugal Program are absolutely vital to MIT’s mission of research, education, and service. I’m thrilled to see the program move into its next phase. MPP offers our faculty and students opportunities to work in unique research environments where they not only make new findings and learn new methods but also contribute to solving urgent local and global problems. MPP’s work in the realm of ocean science and climate is a prime example of how international partnerships like this can help solve important human problems.”
Phase 4 will see the MPP expand its focus to include chips/nanotechnology, energy, artificial intelligence, and space, alongside continued work in climate science, Earth systems, digital transformation in manufacturing, and sustainable cities. The program will also place greater emphasis on educational exchanges and entrepreneurship.
The longevity and success of the MPP have contributed significantly to Portugal’s progress over the past two decades. As John Hansman, the T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT and MPP co-director, noted, “The Portugal of today is remarkably stronger than the Portugal of 20 years ago, and many of the places where they are stronger have been impacted by the program,” particularly in areas like sustainable cities and green energy.
A recent analysis highlighted the positive outcomes of MPP and FCT’s collaborations, noting enhanced research capacities and organizational upgrades in Portugal’s R&D ecosystem. The program has also facilitated the education of 198 Portuguese PhDs and fostered a shift towards globally aligned standards in the educational ecosystem.
The program also benefits MIT and the broader US science and research community, with a consistent focus on joint interests in the Atlantic. The annual Marine Robotics Summer School in the Azores provides unique opportunities for ocean research, leveraging Portugal’s marine facilities and expertise.
As MPP enters its next phase, leaders are optimistic about its continuing success and broadening impact. “We’d like to involve many more people and new people here at MIT, as well as in Portugal,” Hart said, “so that we can reach a larger slice of the population.”
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