There are two central governance bodies at the executive level: the Board of Directors and, to a lesser degree, the Scientific Council. The Board of Directors ensures the organisation’s general management (administrative, logistic, and financial aspects of the institution) and is composed of the President and four other members with assigned portfolios. The Board of Directors is assisted by a set of offices and specialised services that together provide the backbone support for all activities and enable the organisation’s running smoothly and efficiently.
The Scientific Council is responsible for the strategic planning and the organisation of the research units. It also assesses the research projects, annual budget, plan, and report that is prepared by the Board of Directors and proposed to the General Council. It is composed of all researchers with a PhD degree and essentially run by a Coordinating Committee, formed by the Board of the Scientific Council (three members) and representatives from each of the eleven (11) scientific areas aligned with the four (4) Thematic Lines. Plenary meetings of the Scientific Council occur at least once per year, while the Coordinating Committee meets regularly. From the Scientific Board emanate other workgroups, e.g. Careers Board, Awards Committee, etc., that perform specific tasks when appropriate. There is strong coordination among the Board of Directors and the Scientific Council, through its Coordinating Committee, with regular meetings to align their activities and manage joint initiatives to recognise and promote excellence.
A relevant aspect to mention is the institution’s continued ability to renew its leadership boards regularly, involving both experienced researchers that guarantee some continuity in terms of strategy implementation with relatively younger elements that bring new dynamics and ideas.
Rogério Colaço
Isabel Ribeiro
Rodrigo Rodrigues
Arlindo Oliveira
Abílio Henriques
Isabel Trancoso
The General Council approves the annual technical and financial reports of Inesc-ID, as well as the annual plan and budget. It is constituted by three representatives of Instituto Superior Técnico, two of INESC, and by the chairman of the Scientific Council of INESC-ID.
The Thematic Lines’ Board (TLBoard) sits under the Board of Directors and the Scientific Council and is composed by the coordinators/representatives of the four Thematic Lines. The TLBoard is responsible for the high-level management of the Thematic Lines, and for the alignment of the Scientific Areas with the Thematic Lines, by facilitating the interaction and the communication between the several scientific areas and the support offices.
The eleven (11) INESC-ID scientific areas currently are:
- Artificial Intelligence for People & Society (AIPS);
- Automated Reasoning & Software Reliability (ARSR);
- Communication Networks (CN);
- Distributed, Parallel and Secure Systems (DPSS);
- Graphics and Interaction (GI);
- Green Energy & Smart converters (GESC);
- High Performance Computing Architectures and Systems (HPCAS);
- Human Language Technologies (HLT);
- Information & Decision Support Systems (IDSS);
- Nano-Electronic Circuits & Systems (NECS);
- Sustainable Power Systems (SPS).
The four (4) INESC-ID Thematic Lines are:
- Digital Transformation and Citizenship;
- Life and Health Technology;
- Energy Transition;
- Security & Privacy.
At an advisory level, there is the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board comprises international prominent research experts that provide independent guidance and strategic assessment. The Advisory Board interacts on an annual basis with INESC-ID to provide an overall evaluation of the institution based on the proposed reports and plan, as well as to decide on internal awards from reports prepared by an awards committee and to provide counseling on several other subjects. The Advisory Board is also consulted on matters of medium to long-term strategic significance. This interaction is strengthened through an in situ evaluation every two years for two days of work meetings. The seven current members of the Advisory Board are:
Prof. Bram Nauta, University of Twente (Netherlands);
Prof. Ingrid Moerman, Ghent University (Belgium);
Prof. José Carlos Princípe, University of Florida (United States of America);
Prof. Marija Ilic, Carnegie Mellon University (United States of America);
Prof. Morris Sloman, Imperial College London (United Kingdom);
Dr. Ricardo Baeza-Yates, NTENT (United States of America);
Prof. Srinivas Devadas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States of America) – Chair of the Advisory Board.
At an advisory level, there is the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board comprises international prominent research experts that provide independent guidance and strategic assessment. The Advisory Board interacts on an annual basis with INESC-ID to provide an overall evaluation of the institution based on the proposed reports and plan, as well as to decide on internal awards from reports prepared by an awards committee and to provide counseling on several other subjects. The Advisory Board is also consulted on matters of medium to long-term strategic significance. This interaction is strengthened through an in situ evaluation every two years for two days of work meetings. The seven current members of the Advisory Board are:
Prof. Bram Nauta, University of Twente (Netherlands);
Prof. Ingrid Moerman, Ghent University (Belgium);
Prof. José Carlos Princípe, University of Florida (United States of America);
Prof. Marija Ilic, Carnegie Mellon University (United States of America);
Prof. Morris Sloman, Imperial College London (United Kingdom);
Dr. Ricardo Baeza-Yates, NTENT (United States of America);
Prof. Srinivas Devadas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (United States of America) – Chair of the Advisory Board.
Mission
To support INESC-ID researchers in the process of innovation and science management
Objectives
INESC-ID now stands, and is viewed, as one of the most dynamic research institutes in Portugal in the broad areas of computer science and electrical engineering.
Our research and development activities focuses in artificial intelligence, information and decision support systems, graphics and interaction, distributed systems, communication networks, high performance computing, nano-electronics and power systems. INESC-ID promotes cooperation between academia and industry by focusing research on day life issues, such as healthcare, space, mobility, agri-food, industry 4.0, smart grids, among others. This high level of knowledge transfer is achieved through both competitive research projects as well as through direct contracted research.
As such, the objectives of this office are:
- Supporting the preparation of proposals for both National and European competitive research projects
- Executing projects
- Identifying opportunities and establishing partnerships both with industry and academia
- Supporting the Board of Directors in R&D&I matters
Strategy
Presently, the office works with a small team of INESC-ID people with the following functions:
Paula Dias – Legal expert
Helena Marques – Financial expert
Ilda Ribeiro – Financial expert
Group Coordinator: João Paulo Carvalho
Administrative Support: Teresa Mimoso
The Projects Support Office supports general applications for competitive funding and also the management of research projects.
Luís Caldas de Oliveira
Paula Dias
Teresa Mimoso
The Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer Office is the Inesc-id administrative unit with the mission to support INESC-ID board of directors into bringing INESC-ID’s innovations to the market through intellectual property valorization, industry partnerships and the creation of new business ventures. This office is assisted by a tecnology scouting with one member for each Inesc-Id’s research line of action: Gil Marques (ES), Helena Sarmento (EES), João Garcia (CSCN), Bruno Martins (IDSS) and Daniel Lopes (IIS).
The Human Resources Office is responsible for the human resources affairs of INESC-ID. A subunit of the HR office is dedicated to Training and Developing. This subunit provides researchers at all career stages with support for the development of new skills, career development opportunities, team building activities, and overall developing wellbeing initiatives and staff engagement.
Rodrigo Abril de Abreu – Head of Communications and Outreach
The Communications and Outreach Office (COO) defines and executes the communications and marketing strategy of INESC-ID in close collaboration with the Board of Directors.
The COO oversees and implements INESC-ID’s institutional communications strategy (both internal and external), events and outreach / public engagement activities for diverse societal audiences. The COO also provides support and training for researchers in designing and implementing science communication and outreach activities within their independent research projects (e.g., as when required by specific funding agencies, such as within European Projects).