INESC Technology and Science – INESC TEC

Associate Laboratory INESC TEC invests in Scientific Research and Technological Development, as well as in Advanced Training and Consulting, Technology Transfer and supports the Establishment of new Technology-based Companies.

INESC Technology and Science – INESC TEC – is an Associate Laboratory coordinated by INESC Porto that incorporates LIAAD, CRACS, UGEI and CISTER as Associate Units and HASLab as its Privileged Partner. The Associate Laboratory brings together close to 770 researchers, of which 240 have PhDs, forming a robust centre of scientific and technological development in Portugal with notable international presence.

The Ministry of Education and Science grants Associate Laboratory status to institutions or Units associated with the national science and technology system. These institutions or Units must have earned the classification of Excellent (or Very Good) in international evaluations, they must be strongly committed to improving the quality of science in Portugal and must play a central role in this process. The FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology is responsible for administrative relations, public funding and evaluating the Associate Laboratories.


INESC Porto was recognised as an Associate Laboratory in 2002. In 2011 the institute proposed a new broader structure for the Associate Laboratory and this was officially recognised by the Ministry of Science.

This marked the creation of INESC TEC that for the next 10 years will incorporate:
• INESC Porto, its Units (U) and Center (C)
o USE – Power Systems Unit
o UTM – Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit
o UOSE – Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems Unit
o UESP – Manufacturing Systems Engineering Unit
o USIG – Information and Computer Graphic Systems Unit
o ROBIS – Robotics and Intelligent Systems Unit
o UITT – Innovation and Technology Transfer Unit
o C-BER - Biomedical Engineering Research

• the Associate Units:
- LIAAD – Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support
- CRACS – Center for Research in Advanced Computing Systems
- UGEI– Unit of Industrial Management and Engineering
- CISTER - Research Centre in Real-Time and Embedded Computing Systems
• and the Privileged Partner
- HASLab – High-Assurance Software Laboratory


Areas of Intervention

Telecommunications and Multimedia
Power Systems
Manufacturing Systems
Information and Computer Graphics Systems
Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems
Robotics and Intelligent Systems
Biomedical Engineering
Innovation and Technology Transfer
Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support
Programming and Computing Languages
Industrial Management
Embedded and Real-Time Computing Systems

Strategic Objectives

- Develop science and technology that is capable of competing on a national and international level.
- Participate in the technical and scientific training of high-quality human resources to enhance the nation's capacities and encourage modernisation.
- Contribute to the development of the scientific and technological education system, modernising it and helping it to adapt in order to meet the needs of society and the economy.
- Promote and incubate business initiatives in order to improve R&D activities and encourage young researchers to take risks and use their initiative.
- Create a modern Portugal, a well-established economy and a high calibre society by following the objectives that have been outlined.

http://www.inesctec.eu