02-06-2026
NOVA FCT and NOVA.ID have signed a cooperation protocol with the Municipality of Angra do Heroísmo and the Angra do Heroísmo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIAH) to promote lifelong learning in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The partnership falls within the scope of the NOVA FCT Executive School and aims to strengthen skills, foster innovation and contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the regional business community.
With a training offer tailored to the needs of companies and professionals in the Region, and focused on areas such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence, project management, tourism and sustainability, the programmes will be short in duration and strongly practice-oriented.
For Nélia Câmara, Executive Director of the NOVA FCT Executive School, “this partnership reinforces NOVA FCT’s commitment to the development of the Azores, promoting access to excellent executive education and contributing to the strengthening of the skills required for professionals and organisations to respond to the challenges of an increasingly digital, technological and constantly changing world”.
The Mayor of Angra do Heroísmo, Fátima Amorim, also highlighted the relevance of the project, stating that “investing in human capital development and in the connection between academia and the economy is essential for the growth of the territory”.
Marcos Couto, President of CCIAH, underlined the importance of the partnership in driving the business community and facilitating access to specialised training aligned with the current challenges faced by companies. CCIAH will be responsible for promoting and fostering the initiative among entrepreneurs, supporting the mobilisation of participants and the identification of relevant training needs. The Municipality of Angra do Heroísmo will, in turn, provide institutional support for the project, promoting its dissemination and facilitating coordination with local and regional entities.
The first training activities will begin in September 2026 and will be supported by a dedicated online platform, “Where the Azores Meet the Future”, which will provide all information on the courses, teaching staff and training calendar.
The signing of the protocol was accompanied by a conference dedicated to artificial intelligence and skills for the future, held at the Angra do Heroísmo Interpretative Centre, with contributions from José Júlio Alferes, Dean of NOVA FCT, Nélia Câmara and Duarte Pimentel, Executive Director of TERINOV, the Science and Technology Park of Terceira Island.
On the occasion, José Júlio Alferes emphasised that “the scale of the Azores presents challenges, but also opportunities in this area”, an idea echoed by Duarte Pimentel, who noted that a smaller scale allows for more agile ecosystems. He also presented examples of projects developed at TERINOV involving the application of artificial intelligence in areas such as precision agriculture, intelligent systems for fisheries, environmental monitoring and smart tourism, highlighting the region’s potential for technological innovation.
