Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative (IIES) of the consortium that brings together NOVA University Lisbon, Casa do Impacto (Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa), and the Universidade Católica Portuguesa through the YUNUS Social Innovation Center in the creation of innovative solutions for major environmental and social challenges.
By 2027, NOVA University Lisbon will promote six editions of these programs, each focused on a different thematic area:
Take part. Seize this opportunity and become part of the response to social and territorial innovation challenges.
The 3rd edition is dedicated to challenges in the field of Social and Community Cohesion: Gender, Inclusion, and Social Participation, and will take place from 26 May to 16 July 2026.
Please check the participation requirements.
Applications
If you wish to attend both programmes, as recommended but not mandatory, please complete both application forms:
The 3rd edition is dedicated to challenges in the field of Social and Community Cohesion: Gender, Inclusion, and Social Participation, and is mentored by Nausica Palazzo and Eduarda Ferreira.
Nausica Palazzo is an Associate Professor at NOVA School of Law and Director of the NOVA Centre for the Study of Gender, Family and the Law. Her research focuses on family law from queer perspectives, anti-discrimination law, and comparative constitutional law.
Eduarda Ferreira is an Integrated Researcher at CICS.NOVA – Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences at NOVA University Lisbon, where she coordinates the Inequalities, Citizenship and Gender research group. Her work explores the relationships between gender, youth, and digital technologies, with a focus on inclusion, participation, and citizenship in the digital age.
Topics
Date: 26 May (10:00–18:00)
Location: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
This is a programme that promotes the development of exploratory projects and new possibilities for experimentation.
The third edition, dedicated to the field of Social and Community Cohesion: Gender, Inclusion, and Social Participation, is mentored by Guilherme Victorino, Deputy Director of NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS) and Coordinator of the NOVA Innovation & Analytics Lab. He is a Professor in the areas of Innovation and Change Management. He has also served as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health, Advisor to the Board of ACSS, Marketing Director of the Lusíadas Group, and Member of the Executive Committee of SAMS.
Programme overview
Ideation
Promotion of ideation processes through design thinking
Capacity-building for innovation and the creation of impactful projects
Personalised mentoring
Participants are expected to work in groups during and between the programme sessions and to jointly develop proposals for pilot projects
Venue: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
Dates: 25 June 2026, 10h-18h | 02 July, 14h30- 18h | 09 July, 14h30-18h. Final Pitch, 16 July, 15h-16h30
OPEN Programme
The first edition, dedicated to Housing, Habitat, and Mobility, was mentored by Gonçalo Antunes (professor and researcher at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, NOVA University Lisbon) and José Carlos Ferreira (professor and researcher at the NOVA School of Science and Technology).
Programme Overview:
Location: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
Date: June 26, 2025, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
IDEA Programme
The first edition, focused on Housing, Habitat, and Mobility, was mentored by Guilherme Victorino (professor and researcher at NOVA IMS – NOVA Information Management School).
Programme Overview:
Location: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
Dates: July 3, 10, and 11 (10:00 am – 6:00 pm)
Final Pitches: July 17, 2025
OPEN Programme
The second edition, dedicated to the field of Public Health, was mentored by Paulo Sousa and Isabel Maurício.
Paulo Sousa is an Associate Professor with Habilitation and Director of the Department of Health Strategies at the National School of Public Health, NOVA University Lisbon (ENSP-NOVA). He is also responsible for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Education, Research, and Evaluation of Safety and Quality in Healthcare.
Isabel Maurício is an Assistant Professor in Medical Parasitology at the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University Lisbon (IHMT/UNL). She is the Coordinator of the PhD programme in Human Genetics and Infectious Diseases, and a specialist in genetic diversity and recombination.
Programme overview
Part A: Key issues and challenges
Part B: Foresight and opportunities for action
Venue: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
Date: 7 January – from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 13 January – from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 20 January – from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 22 January – from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. The programme also includes online mentoring sessions between work sessions, scheduled directly with each group.
IDEA Programme
The second edition, dedicated to the field of Public Health, was mentored by Guilherme Victorino, Deputy Director of NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS) and Coordinator of the NOVA Innovation & Analytics Lab. He is a Professor in the areas of Innovation and Change Management. He has also served as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Health, Advisor to the Board of ACSS, Marketing Director of the Lusíadas Group, and Member of the Executive Committee of SAMS.
Programme overview
Ideation
Promotion of ideation processes through design thinking
Capacity-building for innovation and the creation of impactful projects
Personalised mentoring
Venue: NOVA Innovation Camp; Analytics Lab / NOVA IMS (Campolide Campus)
Dates: 19, 20 and 27 November (10:00–18:00); 4 December: final pitches
Subscribe to the monthly newsletter on social innovation, as part of the Connect project, and become part of the community that is transforming social innovation.
The programmes are open to professionals, researchers, faculty members, and students interested in deepening their knowledge and testing ideas and innovation potential in key areas of social and territorial development.
No. Although the programmes are part of an innovation cycle, they are independent from one another
All participants will have access to:
Yes. CONNECT – Turning Knowledge into Impact offers training, acceleration, and incubation programmes across six domains of social and territorial innovation. These programmes are promoted by the partners: NOVA University Lisbon, Universidade Católica Portuguesa / YUNUS Social Innovation Center, and Casa do Impacto (Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa).
Yes, there will be more editions of the OPEN and IDEA programmes covering the other thematic areas that make up the CONNECT consortium. As a reminder, there are six domains:
Parking spaces are available, so if you need one, please send an email to connect@unl.pt with the subject “Parking request” and indicate the name of the programme(s).
Send all your questions to:
Sandra Fernandes – sandra.fernandes@unl.pt
Vanda Soares – vanda.soares@unl.pt
