Universidade de Aveiro
University of Aveiro is a young university, founded in 1973, with over 15000 full-time students (graduate and postgraduate). The University has a strong research profile, a unique model of governance (16 Departments, 4 Polytechnic Schools and various training centres), acting as a regional network for education and training promoting strong links with the surrounding community and was a pioneer in launching degrees in new subject areas. The BMD structure is fully implemented and learning outcomes are introduced. Recognition of prior learning is also implemented, for those who do not have the formal entrance requirements. The University is a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities and was one of the first institutions to be granted the ECTS label in 2004, with this distinction having been renewed in 2009 and 2013 and the Diploma Supplement Label also awarded in 2013. UA participates in various ERASMUS MUNDUS Joint Masters and Doctoral programmes. UA also runs several national joint doctoral programmes with other Portuguese Universities. Research at the UA promotes innovative products and solutions, contributing to the advance of science and technology. It is a privileged partner for companies and other national and international organisations with which it cooperates on numerous projects and for which it provides important services. 15 of its 18 research units were classified as Very good or Excellent by international panels under the sponsorship of the Portuguese National Science Foundation in its most recent round of assessments. Four of these units carry the label of Associate Laboratory, a distinction attributed by the Portuguese Government to research institutions of sustained and exceptional merit.
La Ponte EComuseu CULTURALITY TEAM
Fátima Pombo
Full Professor of Design and Director of the Research Institute for Design, Media and Culture [ID+]. She was a visiting professor at the Department of Architecture at KULeuven for almost a decade until 2016, lectured in teaching missions at Politecnico di Milano, at University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, at University of Southern Denmark and developed research at University of Barcelona, University of Munich and University of Heidelberg. Her current research interests focus on phenomenology of design, interior design, ecosystemic spaces, aesthetics of sustainability, cultural heritage. Pombo participates in several academic activities serving, among others, as a Design jury member for the iF Design Award, Germany, the Henry Van de Velde Label/Design Vlanderen; scholarships award from EU/Brussels, and other juries and examination committees as the Evaluation Panel of FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology, Evaluation Commission of A3ES -Accreditation of Study Programmes. She also studied Music and plays cello.
Gonçalo Gomes
Professor at the University of Aveiro (UA) since 2006, he is responsible for the Design Project I, Project Tools Laboratory, and Digital Information Design subjects.
Holding a PhD in Design, he is also a researcher and vice-director for the Research Institute for Design, Media, and Culture [ID+] where he conducts studies in the field of Participatory Design for the Future Cultural Heritage.
Between 2018 and 2020, he coordinated the ID+ DESIS Lab, a member of the international DESIS Network – Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability.
He participated in several international Erasmus+ projects, including Strategy for Change, Students 4 Change: Social Entrepreneurship in Academia, and Social Innovation for Knowledge Exchange – SIKE where he worked as national coordinator.
Violeta Clemente
Violeta Clemente, Assistant Professor at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, holds two doctoral degrees (Design, 2023; Education, 2016). She is one of the 7 members of the convening group for the Design Research Society’s (EdSIG). She collaborates on international projects, including Erasmus+ mobility, books, papers, conferences, and scientific committees. Her research covers Design and Technology Education, Creativity, Design Thinking, and Design Research Methodologies, alongside Additive Manufacturing, Design for Sustainability, and Cultural Heritage.
Bárbara Gabriel
Bárbara Gabriel is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Aveiro (UAveiro), with a background in Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in decision-making models for societal applications and engagement. With over two decades of experience in education and research, she has been acting as an expert in Higher Education Innovation and Entrepreneurship since 2016, through the HEInnovate initiative, collaborating with the European Commission and OECD.
As Coordinator of European projects as TANDEM+ and SFF.DeepT+ (EIT HEI Initiative), she designed and implemented curricula and engagement models for students and staff for innovation in Higher Education Institutions and ecosystems. Bárbara contributed to the an European project, EUFORIA(2.0), and entreTime projects, developing educational resources for societal challenges.
Her career path was recognized with awards, such as the First National Engineering Teaching Award by the Order of Engineers of Portugal (2024).
João Coutinho
João Monge Coutinho is a PhD researcher at the Research Institute for Design, Media and Culture [ID+ ] in Universidade de Aveiro. His investigation focuses on heritage, visual identities, community activism and design pedagogy, with a strong practical approach based on his background as a graphic designer for various cultural institutions. In this field, he’s worked as an integrated member in communication teams operating with close ties to local communities.
