INESC TEC and Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná join efforts for the development of smart and sustainable cities

Joint projects, advanced training, HR mobility and research endeavours are some of the initiatives established by the collaboration agreement signed between INESC TEC and the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), in Brazil. The main goal is to develop R&D and innovation in sustainable and smart cities.

The two institutions will combine scientific and technological knowledge and skills to contribute to scientific advancement and the design of sustainable and smart urban solutions that can become international.

"The climate, energy and socio-environmental challenges that cities face require training, research and innovation through technological and sustainable solutions, vital to promote more equitable, resilient and smart urban development," said Cristina Machado Guimarães.

In this sense, and according to the INESC TEC researcher, there was an opportunity to collaborate with the Brazilian university, combining the experience of the Portuguese R&D institute in creating tech-based innovation for various application areas (mobility, air quality measurement, resource and natural capital management, waste management) and PUCPR's knowledge in these and other areas related to sustainable cities, e.g., computational modelling for energy transition.

In addition, PUCPR believes that the partnership will strengthen research and innovation in the field of Digital Twin Cities, using advanced urban simulations, AI and IoT to optimise resource management and promote more sustainable, humane, resilient and smart cities.

This partnership will lead to development of joint research and innovation projects; advanced training courses; exchange of R&D activities, co-authored publications; thematic events; virtual or face-to-face exchange of researchers, students and teachers; as well as research missions.

PUCPR is part of the Marista Group, and supported by the Associação Paranaense de Cultura (APC). Founded in 1959, the university is present in four cities in the State of Paraná, with close to 100 undergraduate courses, 190 continuing education courses and 16 stricto sensu programmes that comprise several areas of knowledge distributed by six schools: School of Business, School of Fine Arts, School of Education and Humanities, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, School of Law and Polytechnic School. In 2024, the institution launched a postgraduate programme on smart and sustainable cities.