With a programme full of activities and workshops, more than 100 students from the RUN-EU universe experienced four Research Short Advanced Programmes (SAPs) from 10 to 14 July – integrated into the Research Summer Schools that have been taking place since May at the Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave (IPCA).

This was a unique opportunity for learning and interaction in the areas of technology, design, tourism, accounting, and taxation.

Divided into multidisciplinary teams, the students had one week to respond to 10 challenges under the Sustainable Development Goals.

Massimiliano, 27, an Italian studying at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Ireland, for the first time in Portugal, felt the multicultural environment: ‘In addition to the academic experience, this week was great for sharing experiences and meeting people’, says the Management and Technology student who projects this added value in his professional and personal future life.

Milan Molnar, 21, from the University of Győr – Széchenyi István University (SZE), Hungary, also for the first time in Portugal, saw this week as the opportunity to participate in an event dedicated to research and thus improve his skills, already thinking about the labour market.

Not indifferent to this experience, Ashley, 24, returns to the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (NHL Stenden), The Netherlands, ‘fascinated’ by the chance she had to socialise with such an eclectic group and learn about research principles in such a clear way. ‘Research will be important in my future career and this experience will definitely help me’.

This week was organised by IPCA’s four research areas: the Centre for Research in Accounting and Taxation (CICF), the Institute for Research in Design, Media, and Culture (ID+), the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (2AI) and Hospitality and Tourism with TUS partners.

The director of CCIF, Patrícia Gomes, refers to this experience as a challenge overcome:

‘We have already hosted several SAPs at IPCA, but it is the first in research that has exceeded all expectations. We had interesting group dynamics, the students managed to reconcile different profiles and areas in multidisciplinary groups.’

Alexandra Malheiro, Director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism referred that the balance is very positive, and it will be a project to repeat in the future: ‘The feedback from the participants is excellent. Both from the point of view of knowledge and from the social point of view, which is the other side of the experience, and which is part of an international week’.

‘A week full of good moments. Relevant contemporary issues were addressed through research challenges. The responses, from students and researchers, exceeded expectations. It was an excellent example of what RUN-EU is: contributing, through knowledge, to a better Europe’.
This is how Paula Tavares, Director of ID+ and Vice-President for Internationalisation, closed the session.

João Vilaça, Director of 2AI and Pro-President for Research, characterises this event as an excellent experience and a great week in which IPCA, together with TUS, offered tools and triggered the promotion of research for the future. ‘Participants with different backgrounds responded assertively and in a multidisciplinary way’.

This week is now over, however, with the promise to come back with more RUN-EU knowledge and research.

In the words of the participants: We are one, we are RUN-EU!