Three years of hard work and progress
Research, Technology, and Graduate Education
In October 2006, the Portuguese government and Carnegie Mellon entered into an agreement identified as the Carnegie Mellon|Portugal Program. Some of the key goals include recruiting top students and faculty in the International stage, fostering strong ties among Portuguese Universities themselves and Portuguese Universities with corporate affiliates, and creating an environment that functions on the global stage. Since its inception, the Program has made significant strides in achieving these goals.
In the first academic year (2007/2008), 29 students were enrolled: 11 Ph.D., and 18 professional masters. In the second academic year (2008/2009), 72 additional students were enrolled: two post doctoral, 22 Ph.D., and 48 professional masters. In the third academic year (2009/2010), 67 new students were enrolled: 20 Ph.D. and 47 professional masters. This increased the total enrollment to 168 students.
______________ In February 2010, the first and second cohort of 60 Professional Masters students who have completed their programs requirements will participate in a single diploma ceremony which will be hosted in Portugal.
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The Program involves nine Portuguese Universities: Univ. de Aveiro; Faculdade de Ciências Económicas e Empresariais – Univ. Católica Portuguesa; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia — Univ. de Coimbra; Univ. de Madeira; Escola de Engenharia – Univ. do Minho; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia – Univ. Nova de Lisboa; Faculdade de Ciências – Univ. de Lisboa; Instituto Superior Técnico – Univ. Técnica de Lisboa; and Faculdade de Ciências and Faculdade de Engenharia – Univ. do Porto.
The Program has also strengthened the ties between Portuguese Universities and industry. Many corporate affiliates provide financial support to over 45 students in the Program, and many of these are now working with these companies after graduation. Currently, the Partnership has more than 39 industry partners. Their commitment to the Program includes: direct funding, human resources, logistical support and equipment for ten innovative research projects, which were selected by Open Calls.
Within the professional masters programs, international student enrollment increased to 21% in 2009/2010. A program that has been very successful in recruiting international students is the professional masters in human computer interaction, which now stands at 50% international enrollment. Currently, 13 different countries are represented in the Professional Masters programs: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Germany, India, Portugal, São Tomé e Príncipe, Spain, UK, Ukraine, and USA. The professional master in software engineering has emphasized recruiting from industrial companies: in the 2008/09 class there were students supported by 3 companies, and in the 2009/10 class there are 9 companies involved. The programs in information networks and information security have been the choice of numerous staff members of Portugal Telecom.
The Ph.D. programs have experienced similar international representation.
_________ There are 15 countries represented in the Ph.D. programs: Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, China, Croatia, Iran, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Thailand, and USA.
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Partners: Portugal Telecom, Nokia Siemens Network, and Novabase.
Affiliates: Alert, Alfama, ANACOM, BANIF, Biodevices, Critical Software, EDISOFT, efacec, FiberSensing, Electricidade da Madeira, expedita, IMPRESA, InovaRia, Horários do Funchal, MacLaren, Metropolitano de Lisboa, Microsoft, NDrive, OutSystems, Petratex, Porto Editora, PT Sistemas de Informação, Priberam, Promosoft, sapo.pt, Telbit, Vodafone, WIPRO, wit software, ydreams, ZON Multimedia.
November, 2009
