NOVA University Lisbon presented this Tuesday, the 3rd, at the Rectorate, the project NOVA Aerospace – The Concept, an initiative that “marks not only the presentation of the project but, above all, the affirmation of a strategic vision for the future of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in Portugal”.
For the Rector, Paulo Pereira, this is “a moment especially dedicated to what best defines a modern university: the ability to produce scientific knowledge of excellence and, at the same time, to turn it into economic, social and technological impact”.
It is within this framework that NOVA Aerospace emerges, linked to the Tires aerodrome, where a true aerotropolis is expected to grow. The Rector also reiterated that the sector is one of the most strategic on a global scale, as it is decisive for mobility, security, technological sovereignty, the climate transition and economic competitiveness. “The university must be where knowledge is needed, where innovation happens and where talent can be fully developed,” he concluded.
This enthusiasm was shared by several representatives of the sector — and of the region. Nuno Piteira Lopes, the current mayor of Cascais, who inherited the project from his predecessor, Carlos Carreiras, thanked an initiative that, he said, “shapes the present” and will also leave an “indelible” mark on the future: “This is something unprecedented in Cascais, in the Lisbon area, in the whole country. We only find the same in the most developed regions of the world”.
Eyes on the sky
On behalf of the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), Ana Mata argued that we are looking at “a solid foundation for the sustainable growth of the sector”, which “reflects ANAC’s vision for the future of aeronautical professions and for raising the profile of aviation among the new generations”, with a view to the “transition to sustainable aviation”.
Carlos Carreiras, former President of the Cascais Municipal Council and a central figure in the project, considered that NOVA Aerospace addresses the problem of having “an airport infrastructure that was operating at a loss”, with the added value of being backed by an investment in education, “which continues to be the greatest social elevator”. For the former mayor, the best part is that it is a “virtuous association of academies: of knowing, doing and caring”.
José Alferes, Director of NOVA FCT, then highlighted the relevance of the project that has set the University “with its eyes on the sky”: “It could not align more closely with NOVA’s mission, where teaching, research and innovation coexist, in a project anchored in the territory.” He added: “it is led by engineering, but with a vocation that, in the near future, will be transversal across the entire University” — from Law to Medical Sciences.
An innovative degree
One of the highlights of the event followed, with João Martins, Coordinator of NOVA Aerospace, announcing that the bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering will start as early as the 2026/2027 academic year, and that it foresees the presence of students and some activities in Tires. “There we will have a living laboratory for our students, whether a drone arena or tests in wind tunnels,” he said, noting that this experimental character is something that “is in NOVA’s DNA”.
NOVA’s Vice-Rector for Innovation, Value Creation and Global Affairs, Isabel Rocha, recalled that “it is at the university that foundational knowledge is created” and that it is then necessary to ensure that it “is transformed into economic and social value”. NOVA’s track record in the area, as she reiterated, shows precisely that: “we position ourselves as one of the Portuguese universities with the most international patents; we are in the TOP 3 most entrepreneurial in the country, and we also have international recognition at European Union level, where we have been sharing this experience”.
Room to go further
The meeting also highlighted the importance of establishing synergies between academia and the private sector. José Rui Marcelino, Vice-President of AED Cluster Portugal — a private non-profit organisation for the Aeronautics, Space and Defence Industries — underlined the project’s potential in “making Portugal a reference”. “The great challenge means bringing us all together around this cause, so that Portugal can be great in this area.”
Philomène Dias, a member of the Board of AICEP, noted, in turn, the existence of several financial instruments to support innovation and internationalisation in this domain, stressing that Portugal is already managing to attract international investment. “And the first criterion for this has been talent” — adding that from now on NOVA Aerospace may become a decisive player in the sector.
Before the final round table — dedicated to the opportunities and challenges of the aerospace and aeronautical sectors in Portugal and with representatives from organisations such as TAP, Embraer or OGMA — there was still time to hear António Grilo, President of the National Innovation Agency (ANI). He recalled that, since the launch of the master’s programme in the area at NOVA FCT five years ago, Portugal has managed to attract various European funding for projects that combine science and knowledge, with capacity and competence. “Today, with NOVA Aerospace and the new bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, we see that there is room to go further.”
During the event, collaboration agreements were also signed with TAP and ANAC, as well as with the multinational INDRA – adding to those already established with Optimal and the Brazilian ITA (Aeronautical Technology Institute).
