03-07-2026
Photo by João Lima/NOVA.
José Júlio Alferes was reelected as NOVA FCT's Dean for the 2026–2030 four-year term, serving a second mandate at the helm of the School. The electoral process took place on 2 July at the institution’s premises, in a session convened for that purpose, through a vote by the members of the Faculty Council.
The strategy outlined for the next four years is now underway: “NOVA FCT is one of the country’s leading scientific and technological institutions. It is necessary to highlight and strengthen the quality of its research, the excellence of its graduates’ education, and its strong connection to society and the business community,” says newly elected Dean José Júlio Alferes.
The goals of the candidacy are set out in the action programme under the motto: “A School Where the Future Is Built – Science and Engineering for the Challenges of the Future, in a Living, International and Sustainable Campus.”
Maintaining the School’s distinct identity, based on the interdisciplinary combination of Science, Engineering and Technology, with a strong laboratory component and a culture of closeness among faculty, students, and technical and administrative staff, are concrete objectives for the next four years of management. For José Júlio Alferes, it is urgent to address present and future challenges: a world in constant technological transformation, marked by the growing digitalisation of society and the increasingly rapid impact of artificial intelligence, as well as shifts in economic and geopolitical paradigms.
“The School must aspire to establish itself increasingly as a major European school of Science and Engineering. A school capable of combining excellence in teaching, internationally impactful scientific research, technological innovation and engagement with society, without losing the academic and community identity that continues to distinguish NOVA FCT,” he adds.
NOVA FCT’s strategic positioning at the regional level, through the Almada Innovation District and the new centrality of the Setúbal Peninsula, also helps strengthen the School within a large-scale regional ecosystem of knowledge, innovation and technological development.
“The strong investment in university residences, the creation of new infrastructure for innovation and technology transfer — the development of NOVA_i4SF and the launch of NOVA TechSphere — and the gradual installation of companies and R&D activities on campus will contribute to creating a more international, more dynamic and more integrated academic environment, connected to the economic and scientific fabric,” says José Júlio Alferes.
For the newly reelected Dean, the goals for impact in the area of educational provision are also clear: the strategic restructuring of the educational offer, especially master’s programmes, to increase the attractiveness of new national and international students; and strengthening participation in research and innovation projects, not forgetting technology transfer and the development of innovation ecosystems.
