Alcatel-Lucent and Portugal agree collaborations

French telecommunications specialist Alcatel-Lucent is teaming up with Portuguese universities and the Portuguese government to improve advanced technology education and collaborative research.

The Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs Student Scholarship scheme, to operate in conjunction with the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, will offer Master and Doctoral scholarships in Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs to Portuguese university students.

An agreement signed with the Universities of Porto and Aveiro and the Technical University of Lisbon, one of Alcatel-Lucent University Partnership Programs, will offer scholarships for postgraduate projects.  A further agreement with UMIC, the Portuguese Knowledge Society Agency, heralds the creation of an Alcatel-Lucent professorship.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works, Transports and Communications, the Technological Plan and Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs have signed a deal to foster collaboration in telecommunication projects focusing on innovative wireless technologies, networks and applications, next-generation networks and networks management applications. It will also include an award for Innovation in Telecom.

Debasis Mitra, of Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, said: “We are proud to partner with the Portuguese ministries and universities to implement these important programmes that will benefit Portuguese technology and sciences students, as well as the country’s larger innovation community. Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs believes that innovation, which plays a key role in a country economic success, can only flourish in an environment where government, educational institutions, and private sector closely collaborate.”