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Science and Technology - Societal Challenges

The societal challenges associated with research, innovation and sustainable development require creative and collaborative solutions.

Research and Innovation in Europe

Horizon Europe's Research and Innovation Missions aim to better associate European Union research and innovation with the needs of society and citizens, with high visibility and impact. The missions have five areas of activity:

Esquema de Domínios de Missão

A mission is a set of actions aimed at achieving an ambitious, inspiring and quantifiable goal within a given timeframe, with an impact on society and policy-making, ensuring relevance to a significant part of the European population and a wide range of European citizens.


EU Strategy 2019 - 2024

Following the European Parliament elections in 2019 and the appointment of the new College of Commissioners of the European Commission, this new strategic agenda for the EU was launched with 6 political priorities for the period 2019 - 2024:

The European Green Deal

Building a new growth strategy to transform the European Union into a modern, carbon-neutral, resource-efficient, sustainable and competitive economy.

A Europe fit for the digital age

Strengthen digital sovereignty, with a clear emphasis on data, technology and infrastructure for a digital transformation at the service of all Europeans.

An economy at the service of people

Create a more attractive investment environment and support growth that creates quality jobs, especially for young people and small businesses.

A stronger Europe in the world

Defending multilateralism and a rules-based international order, through a coordinated approach to external action and a united European voice in the world.

Promoting our European way of life

Ensuring a European Union of social and economic equality, tolerance and fairness for all citizens, based on the rule of law.

A new impetus for European democracy

Strengthening the role of European citizens in the EU's decision-making processes and priorities, while protecting our democracy from external interference.

Sustainable development

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, sets out priorities and aspirations for global sustainable development by 2030.

There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent an urgent call to action for all countries in a global partnership.

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's vision of a circular economy for plastics, FEUP was a founding member of the Portuguese Pact for Plastics, which brings together the different actors of the national plastics value chain to define a common path to accelerate the transition to a circular economy for plastics in Portugal.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) icons

New European Bauhaus

The new European Bauhaus aims to:

  • Bring together citizens, experts, companies and institutions and promote conversations about how to make tomorrow's living spaces more affordable and accessible.
  • Mobilise designers, architects, engineers, scientists, students and creative minds from different disciplines to reinvent a sustainable way of life, in Europe and beyond.
  • To improve the quality of our living experience, favouring the values of simplicity, functionality and the circularity of materials, without compromising the need for comfort and attractiveness in our daily lives.
  • To provide financial support for innovative ideas and products through specific calls for proposals and coordinated programmes within the multiannual financial framework.

REPowerEU Plan

REPowerEU aims to rapidly reduce Europe's dependence on Russian fossil fuels by rapidly reorienting the transition to clean energy and by joining forces to achieve a more resilient energy system and a true Energy Union, thereby accelerating the energy transition.

The REPowerEU plan proposes an additional set of actions to save energy, diversify supply, rapidly replace fossil fuels by accelerating Europe's transition to clean energy, and intelligently combine investments and reforms.