It is with great enthusiasm and warmth that we invite all teaching and non-teaching staff from foreign Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to join us for the 2027 edition of the Portalegre Polytechnic University International Week.

This year’s theme, “Innovation for Life: Health, Society, Environment and Culture”, invites us to look at innovation from a broad and human-centred perspective. Innovation is not only about new technologies or new solutions; it is also about generating knowledge, connecting different perspectives, fostering inclusion and finding creative responses to the challenges and opportunities emerging in our societies. By bringing together different areas of knowledge, cultures and experiences, we aim to explore how innovation can contribute to healthier lives, more inclusive societies, a more sustainable environment and a richer cultural life.

With this in mind, the 2027 International Week will bring together the different areas of knowledge and expertise that are part of the Portalegre Polytechnic University, creating opportunities for diverse disciplines, experiences and perspectives to meet. From health and social sciences to technology, education, business, agriculture, environment, arts and culture, we want to explore how different fields of knowledge can contribute, together, to a better understanding of the world around us and to meaningful responses to the challenges we face.

A special highlight of this year’s programme will be the International Week 2027 Thematic Seminar, bringing together academics and non-academics to share experiences, showcase the work and expertise of the University’s Schools, exchange good practices and discuss emerging issues across different areas of knowledge. Through presentations, open discussions and opportunities for interaction, the seminar will provide a space for learning from one another and for discovering new connections between disciplines and institutions.

Throughout the week, participants will also have opportunities to engage in teaching missions, networking meetings, local visits and other activities, creating different spaces for academic and professional exchange. These encounters are an essential part of our understanding of internationalisation: meaningful international cooperation grows not only through formal partnerships, but also through conversations, shared experiences and the relationships we build with one another.

We believe that innovation thrives when knowledge meets diversity. Bringing together people from different countries, cultures, disciplines and institutional contexts allows us to see challenges from new perspectives and to discover connections that might otherwise remain unseen. Internationalisation is therefore not simply about crossing borders; it is about creating spaces where knowledge is shared, experiences are valued and new ideas can emerge from collaboration.

This International Week is also an invitation to connect with the Portalegre Polytechnic University, its Schools, its people and its wider community. We hope to strengthen international networks, foster new collaborations and inspire joint initiatives, while creating meaningful opportunities for staff and students to learn from one another.

Above all, we invite you to be part of a week of sharing, discovery and connection. Bring your knowledge, your questions and your perspectives. Explore new areas, meet colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines, and help us reflect on how innovation can serve life — by advancing knowledge, fostering inclusion, caring for our communities and our planet, and enriching the cultural world we share.

We look forward to welcoming you to Portalegre and to creating, together, an International Week where different areas of knowledge come together to explore new ideas and new responses for a changing world.

Maria José D’Ascensão
Pro-Rector for Internationalisation, Mobility, External Relations and Cooperation
Portalegre Polytechnic University