16-12-2025
In the photo, from left to right: Henrique Oliveira, Pedro Guerreiro, José Júlio Alferes, Madalena Quirino, José Legatheaux Martins, João Leite. Photo by João Lima/NOVA FCT.
The launch of the book “Half a Century of a NOVA Engineering” on 15 December marked the beginning of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering at NOVA FCT, the first higher education degree in the field created in Portugal, launched in 1975 by NOVA University Lisbon.
The event, held at the Library Auditorium on the Caparica Campus, brought together founding members of the degree, the first graduates, former and current heads of the Department of Computer Science, as well as colleagues and friends, to celebrate a pioneering milestone in Computer Science and Engineering education in the country. In an evocative roundtable, moderated by João Leite, Head of the Department, memories from the past five decades were revisited.
Opening the discussion, Madalena Quirino, one of the founders of the degree, recalled the enthusiasm with which she received, in 1973, the invitation to design the first Computer Science and Engineering programme in Portugal. “I am very happy that we are celebrating the 50 years,” she added. “We didn’t know we were being pioneers, but it was fun,” said Pedro Guerreiro, one of the first graduates of the inaugural cohort and one of the guest speakers at the event. José Legatheaux Martins, the first emeritus professor of the Department of Computer Science, stressed that “this was truly the first degree in Computer Science and Engineering; other universities spent years trying to catch up.”
In his remarks, José Júlio Alferes, Dean of NOVA FCT, recalled the period when he headed the Department and took part in the redesign of the degree within the scope of the Bologna Process, highlighting the programme’s continuous ability to adapt and evolve. “The Department has always been able to keep up with the times,” reinforced Luís Caires, former Head of Department.
The book traces a five-decade journey, from the launch of the degree in 1975, at the dawn of the global computing revolution, to the recognition of NOVA FCT and its Department of Computer Science as national and international references in education and research, in close connection with the NOVA LINCS research centre, rated “Excellent” by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. “It was a challenge and an opportunity to contribute to a work that honours NOVA’s role in the history of computing in Portugal,” said Henrique Oliveira, the book’s author.
The 50th anniversary programme of the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering runs throughout 2025/26, with several initiatives, including a celebratory session, alumni meetings and other moments open to the wider community. The Portuguese Order of Engineers is also joining the commemorations with a series of debates starting in January, underlining the structural role of Computer Science and Engineering in transforming society. The celebrations are supported by CrossJoin, OpenSoft, Critical Techworks, and Celfocus.
Photo gallery available here. (Photos by João Lima/NOVA FCT)
See the full anniversary programme here.
