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The executive boards of the universities of Porto and Vigo posed for the traditional post-summitt photo.

The universities of Porto and Vigo (Spain) will create joint research teams to compete for funding provided by the European Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020. This was the leading finding of the first bilateral summit between the executive boards of the two universities that took place on April 22, in Vigo.

The rectors, vice-rectors and pro-rectors of Porto and Vigo sat together for the first time to discuss how to deepen cooperation between the two universities, laying the groundwork for future partnerships in the fields of education, research and governance.

The creation of joint research projects was one of the first opportunities identified by the two executive boards, particularly in R&D fields considered strategic by both universities, namely in engineering, energy, bioengineering, biomedical, telecommunications and marine sciences.

It was noted that in this area in particular, both universities of the Atlantic coast already have research and entrepreneurial centers dedicated to the sea – the Campus do Mar of Vigo and the Polo do Mar of Porto -, providing clear opportunities for cooperation between the two universities.

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Salustiano Mato (left),the rector of Vigo, and Sebastião Feyo de Azevedo (right), the rector of Porto.

As the rectors Salustiano Mato (Vigo) and Sebastian Feyo de Azevedo (Porto) pointed out in the press conference held after the summit, this is a natural partnership between two universities just hour and a half away, although based in different countries. A partnership that will enable the universities of Porto and Vigo to learn from each other experiences and success stories.