Funding to support the acquisition of equipment or the completion of renovation and/or modernization projects for scientific research units of the R&D Unit - Center for Research on Territory, Transports and Environment

(Financiamento de apoiar a aquisição de equipamento ou a conclusão de projetos de renovação e/ou modernização de unidades de investigação científica da Unidade I&D - Centro de Investigação do Território, Transportes e Ambiente)

Description
This project is intended to modernise and restructure scientific research units, including their digital transformation, and is aimed at the acquisition of major scientific equipment, sets of scientific instruments, scientific archives and data, other knowledge-based resources, computing and programming systems, communication networks that promote open digital access, and/or other instrumental infrastructure to foster excellence in research and innovation activities.
Under the motto "Fostering City Transitions", CITTA has embarked on its strategic journey for 2025-2029 and is ready to build on its status as a leading European research centre. The promise of fostering an impact-driven, innovative, supportive, and dynamic research ecosystem is central to CITTA's strategic vision. At the heart of our strategic framework is the cultivation of an enabling environment that supports the academic and professional development of our research community. This project supports the establishment of our new CITTA-Analytics Lab alongside with the modernization of our fundamental laboratories in Territorial Planning and Transport (including a GIS and a driving simulation facility) and Geotechnical Engineering and Pavement Mechanics. These facilities strengthen our research capabilities and will solidify CITTA's role as a beacon of research innovation.
Important investments include the update of our Geotechnical Engineering and Pavement Mechanics Laboratory, to maintain international competitiveness and scientific excellence. The Laboratory of Spatial Planning and Transport seeks to further develop its driving simulators, that have supported research on road safety, human factors, and autonomous driving, in line with CITTA's strategy for innovation, sustainability, and safer mobility systems. However, to maintain international competitiveness and scientific excellence, it is crucial to upgrade these simulators with dynamic motion platforms and eye-tracking systems.
The investment in the recently created urban analytics labs will focus on the necessary computational conditions, as well as supporting research facilities, such as audiovisual support (cameras and interactive screens).
The new equipment will expand CITTA’s capacity to address societal challenges related to transport safety, accessibility, and inclusiveness, while strengthening doctoral training and international collaborations. This investment is therefore essential to consolidate CITTA as a European leader in research on sustainable and human-centred transport systems.

Research Team
Cecília Silva (Coordinator)
Adelino Ferreira (Co-coordinator)
All CITTA Team
Finatial Support
FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Investimento C05-i13 - Unidades de Investigação Científica
Next Generation EU
recuperarportugal.gov.pt
Stage of Progress
In progress (2025 – jun 2026)

Funding for the renovation and/or modernization of scientific research units at the R&D Unit - Center for Research on Territory, Transport and Environment.

(Financiamento de renovação e/ou modernização de unidades de investigação científica da Unidade I&D - Centro de Investigação do Território, Transportes e Ambiente)

Description
Under the motto "Fostering City Transitions", CITTA has embarked on its strategic journey for 2025-2029 and is ready to build on its status as a leading European research centre. We are determined to influence the sustainable metamorphosis of urban environments by using innovation and foresight to tackle pressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, energy and resource depletion, the housing crisis, regular economic downturns, radical demographic shifts, social inequality, and the challenges of car dependency and mobility safety. CITTA's strategy, based on its historical commitment to academic excellence and societal impact, is carefully designed to address the multiple challenges of the future. The promise of fostering an impact-driven, innovative, supportive, and dynamic research ecosystem is central to CITTA's strategic vision.
At the heart of our strategic framework is the cultivation of an enabling environment that supports the academic and professional development of our research community. This includes a robust educational offering, including prestigious educational programmes in spatial planning, urban projects, and mobility management, further enhanced by the new CITTA-Reach Platform. This platform emphasises our dedication to continuous personal and professional development, focusing on advancing young researchers, women, and minorities towards high-impact leadership positions. Innovation underpins our operational ethos, as demonstrated by our will to establish the CITTA-Analytics Lab alongside our fundamental laboratories in Territorial Planning and Transport (including a GIS and a driving simulation facility) and Geotechnical Engineering and Pavement Mechanics. These facilities strengthen our research capabilities and will solidify CITTA's role as a beacon of research innovation.
In line with the strategic outline defined for 2025-2029, this project allowed for the refurbishing of our main labs and the development of the recently created analytics lab, providing important support to our role in contributing to urban transition towards sustainability. Important investments include testing equipment and tools to explore the complex behaviour of emerging and recycled materials, for our Geotechnical Engineering and Pavement Mechanics Laboratory, to maintain international competitiveness and scientific excellence. The recently created urban analytics labs will continue the investment in the necessary computational conditions while also expanding into urban simulation and new immersive data collection. The new equipment will expand CITTA’s capacity to address societal challenges related to transport safety, accessibility, and inclusiveness, while strengthening doctoral training and international collaborations. This investment is therefore essential to consolidate CITTA as a European leader in research on sustainable and human-centred transport systems.

Research Team
Cecília Silva (Coordinator)
Adelino Ferreira (Co-coordinator)
All CITTA Team

Finatial Support
FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Investimento C05-i13 - Unidades de Investigação Científica
Next Generation EU
recuperarportugal.gov.pt
Stage of Progress
In progress (2025 – jun 2026)