Research and Innovation

ULisboa presents the WISE Project and launches the Water College

On July 7, at the Pavilion of Portugal, the University of Lisbon presented the WISE—Water Innovation, Science, and Education—project, an initiative that also marks the launch of the Water College, a new institution dedicated to research, innovation, and advanced training to address major water challenges.

luis ferreira e antónio feijó a apertarem a mão

The ceremony was hosted by Cecília Rodrigues, Vice Rector of ULisboa, and was attended by Luís Ferreira, Rector of ULisboa; António Feijó, President of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation; Pedro Matos Soares, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon; Pedro Fontes, Director of Information Technology and Digital Transformation at EPAL; and Marisa Lameiras da Silva, Director General of Maritime Policy.

With the support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, WISE serves as the foundation for the creation of the Water College and proposes an integrated approach to issues such as water scarcity, pollution, climate resilience, and the blue economy, fostering collaboration between scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and skills development.

António Feijó, President of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, emphasizes that support for this project stems from its scientific foundation, its focus on impact, and its investment in promoting water literacy.

The project is organized around three strategic pillars: the development of proof-of-concepts tested in real-world contexts, the incubation and acceleration of innovative solutions, and the implementation of education and training programs, covering different levels of education and lifelong learning.

WISE stems from the work carried out by ULisboa as part of its application to the Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) Water, Marine and Maritime and identifies water resilience, predictive monitoring using artificial intelligence, smart water resource management, and autonomous robotics applied to ecosystem restoration as priority areas.

Throughout its implementation, the project plans to launch proof-of-concept initiatives, mentoring and acceleration programs for startups, and training for hundreds of students and professionals, helping to strengthen the capacity to respond to current and future challenges in sustainable water management.

The public presentation of WISE thus marks the beginning of a new phase in the University of Lisbon’s strategy to assert its leadership in the fields of science, innovation, and education related to water, through the creation of the Water College.

The Water College is part of the University of Lisbon’s Network of Colleges, which are cross-disciplinary structures that promote teaching, research, and innovation in interdisciplinary fields, involving faculty, researchers, and students from different schools.