Context
NOVA Cidade regularly organizes summer schools in partnership with leading international academic and scientific programs, including MIT Portugal (MPP) and Carnegie Mellon Portugal (CMU Portugal).
These initiatives bring together students, researchers, and professionals to explore cutting-edge topics in urban analytics, open data, and innovation in smart cities.
Challenge
To provide advanced, interdisciplinary training that equips young researchers and professionals with digital and analytical skills geared towards urban transformation, sustainability, and technological innovation.
Objectives
- Provide specialized training in urban intelligence, open data, and emerging technologies
- Promote collaboration between academia, industry, and public institutions
- Engage participants in practical projects focused on real urban and environmental challenges
Structure
Each summer school runs for one to two weeks, combining masterclasses, fieldwork, and teamwork around real-world challenges.
Examples include:
- C-Tech Summer School (MIT Portugal) – Smart cities and low-carbon urban planning
- Crypto Summer by Bee2WasteCrypto (CMU Portugal) – Blockchain and innovation in waste management
- Augmented Cities Summer Camp (MIT Portugal) – Augmented reality applications for sustainable cities, using Unity and HoloLens 2
Pedagogical model
Experiential and project-based learning through team challenges, design thinking methodologies, and co-creation sessions with researchers, companies, and municipalities.
Results
Training of dozens of students and early-career professionals through funded research internships (Summer with Science). Development of prototypes and applications focused on energy efficiency, circular economy, and digital citizenship.
Partners
MIT Portugal · CMU Portugal · NOVA IMS · NOS · Técnico Lisboa · CEiiA · Lisboa E-NOVA · Bee2WasteCrypto