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Research Ecosystem - R&D Structures

U.Porto has an extensive scientific research structure, providing the entire University ecosystem with the ideal conditions for research, development and innovation activities.

Introduction to Research and Development Structures

The R&D+i ecosystem at U.Porto is internally structured around its Organisational Units, associated Research Institutes, and Operational and Competence Centres.

The University also participates in Associated Laboratories (LA) and Collaborative Laboratories (CoLAB), alongside Research Infrastructures that form part of the Foundation for Science and Technology’s (FCT) National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures of Strategic Relevance (RNIE), among others.

This dynamic structure, which covers diverse research areas, is consistently dedicated to supporting and incentivising the production of knowledge that responds to the main scientific and societal challenges of today.

Organisational Units

The mission of the Organisational Units (the faculties) is not only education and training, but also research in their specific fields of competence. U.Porto comprises 14 faculties across its three main campuses (the university centre, or Campus 1, downtown; Campus 2, Asprela; and Campus 3, Campo Alegre and Vairão).

In addition to the faculties, the University boasts an internationally renowned business school, the Porto Business School.

Associated Research Institutes

U.Porto has 11 associated Research Institutes that promote knowledge creation and innovation. In addition to the University, other public and private entities participate in these institutes, thus promoting the link between U.Porto’s R&D+i activities and the community.

Some of these institutes are also part of Associated Laboratories, research structures geared towards pursuing the Portuguese Government’s science and technology policy.

Operational and Competence Centres

U.Porto also has Operational and Competence Centres, which provide support services for R&D+i activities in different subject areas (from materials to cybersecurity, ageing to biomechanics), aside from consolidating the existing knowledge and skills at the University.

Associated Laboratories

The R&D+i ecosystem at U.Porto, through its R&D Units, includes 17 Associated Laboratories (LA) recognised by FCT in four subject areas.

These associated laboratories are consortia of R&D+i institutions that aim to incentivise the aggregation and organisation of human and material resources of the quality and scale needed to respond to specific scientific and technological national policy objectives.

Collaborative Laboratories

U.Porto participates in 22 Collaborative Laboratories (CoLAB), recognised by FCT, in eleven subject areas.

CoLAB are private non-profit associations that bring academia closer to the industrial sector, thus creating synergies that facilitate and boost the transfer of knowledge generated within the academic world to the market.

Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures

U.Porto includes 24 research infrastructures that form part of FCT's RNIE, in six subject areas:

These infrastructures include platforms, resources and services available to the scientific community, offering large-scale equipment and other scientific instruments, collections, archives and data, computing systems and communication networks, promoting digital open access, with a view to stimulating excellence in technological research and development activities.

  • C4G – Collaboratory for Geosciences
  • EMBRC.PT – European Marine Biological Resource Centre Portugal
  • EMSO-PT– European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and Water Column Observatory – Portugal
  • PORBIOTA – Portuguese e-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity
  • AIR Centre – Atlantic International Research Centre
  • Physics and Engineering
  • Engage SKA – Green E-Sciences: Intelligent Training and Growth
  • NECL – Network of Extreme Conditions Laboratories
  • TEC4SEA – Modular Platform for Research, Testing and Validation of Technologies Supporting Maritime Economy
  • Windscanner.PT – Windscanner Portugal. National Infrastructure WindScanner
  • CECOLAB – Collaborative Laboratory Towards Circular Economy
  • PTNMR – Portuguese Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Network
  • GENOMEPORTUGAL – National Laboratory for Genome Sequencing and Analysis
  • PPBI – Portuguese Platform of BioImaging
  • RNEM – Portuguese Mass Spectrometry Network
  • RNCCC – National Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres
  • CRYOEM-PT – National Advanced Microscopy Network for Health and Life Sciences
  • PtCAC – National Network of Clinical Academic Centres
  • PtCRIN – Portuguese Network of Clinical Research Infrastructures
  • Pt-mBRCN /MIRRI-PT – Portuguese Network of Centres for Microbiological Resources
  • PT-OPENSCREEN – National Infrastructure for Chemical Biology and Genetics