A delegation from the University of La Laguna (ULL, Spain) visited Bragança Polytechnic University (UPB, Portugal) last week to explore new opportunities for joint research, knowledge transfer and scientific cooperation within the framework of STARS EU. During the visit, held from 31 July to 1 August, both institutions carried out a programme designed to identify complementary areas of expertise, connect research teams and lay the foundations for future collaboration.

Meetings between the two delegations, led by the Rectors of the respective institutions, Francisco J. García (ULL) and Orlando Rodrigues (IPB), focused on joint participation in European research projects, researcher mobility, knowledge transfer activities and the development of shared scientific initiatives.

Accompanying the Rector of the University of La Laguna were Antonio Aparicio, Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer; Roberto González, Director of the Office for University Institutes and Publications; and José Sigut, Institutional Coordinator of STARS EU at the University of La Laguna.

The institutional delegation from Bragança Polytechnic University also included Luís Manuel Santos Pais, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations; Vera Ferro Lebres, Pro-Rector for Entrepreneurship, Employability and Educational Innovation; Vice President of UPB, Albano Agostinho Gomes Alves, together with directors and representatives of the university’s research centres.

ULL researchers

A group of researchers from the University of La Laguna also took part in the visit as representatives of their respective research fields within research centres affiliated with the Portuguese institution.

José Sigut, Professor of Systems and Automation Engineering, represented the Research Centre in Digitalisation and Intelligent Robotics (CeDRI), whose work focuses on technological innovation, climate change and the circular economy. During the visit, the delegation was introduced to a pilot project aimed at mapping carbon capture potential across Portugal, a model that could eventually be adapted to the Canary Islands.

The ULL delegation also included David Díaz Díaz, Professor of Organic Chemistry, and Noelia Cruz Pérez, lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, representing the Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), a multidisciplinary research centre addressing climate change through projects focused on sustainable products and reducing carbon footprints. They were joined by Noemí Peña Sánchez, from the Department of Fine Arts and member of the Art and Creative Industries TIG and representative of the Transdisciplinary Research Centre in Education and Development (CITED), and Claudio Briones Barrera, from the Department of Industrial Engineering, representing the Sustainable Construction Research Group (GICoS) at the Portuguese university.

Next steps

Following visits to the Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG) and the Graça Morais Contemporary Art Centre, the second day concluded with a strategic meeting during which both universities identified shared research priorities and explored possible mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.

As announced in Bragança by the Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, this initial visit will be followed by a reciprocal visit from Bragança Polytechnic University to Tenerife to continue developing the collaborative opportunities identified during the meeting. “The visit to Bragança has been extremely productive and has demonstrated the value of this model of institutional visits for the STARS EU alliance, complementing the formal meetings of the Commission, the Steering Committee and the TIGs,” he said.

The Rector of the University of La Laguna also highlighted the strong interest shown by the Portuguese institution in developing joint doctoral programmes, building on the University of La Laguna’s extensive experience and academic offer in this field.

This visit forms part of STARS EU’s strategy to strengthen cooperation among its partner universities by promoting knowledge exchange, collaboration between research teams and the development of joint initiatives that reinforce the alliance’s research dimension.

STARS EU has launched its International Internship Programme for the 2026/2027 academic year, an initiative that will enable students across the alliance to gain professional experience in a European environment, apply the knowledge they have acquired during their studies in companies across Europe, and complement their academic education by adding an international dimension to their learning.

The programme, which will be progressively expanded through new opportunities promoted by the alliance’s nine partner universities, will offer internships in companies and institutions in the Netherlands (Hanze University of Applied Sciences); Portugal (Bragança Polytechnic University); Sweden (University West); Czechia (Silesian University in Opava); (Hochschule Bremen -City of Applied Science) Germany; Poland (Cracow University of Technology); Spain (University of La Laguna); Albania (Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës) and France (Université Marie et Louis Pasteur).

Initial placements

The first internship opportunities for the coming academic year, offered by Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB)—one of the alliance’s nine partner institutions—provide students with the opportunity to undertake internships in Portuguese companies and organisations in the fields of Computer Engineering, Marketing, Multimedia, Management, Accounting, Administrative Management, Chemical Engineering, Biology and Biotechnology, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.

Each internship, lasting between two and six months, will enable students to complement their academic studies with relevant professional experience while providing valuable first-hand exposure to the world of work. These placements offer a wide range of benefits, including the development of communication and language skills, the ability to adapt to new working environments, greater independence, and enhanced collaboration within multicultural teams.

Partner organisations

On this occasion, the training opportunities promoted by IPB will be delivered in collaboration with Portuguese companies and institutions including Emotion Defender, Skyline Lda, Faurecia Sistema de Escape Portugal, TECH X Digital Solutions, Laboratório Colaborativo AquaValor, and Worten.

This first call marks the starting point of the STARS EU internship programme, which aims to respond to students’ educational needs, strengthen cooperation between the partner universities, and foster closer links between academia, the business communities of each region, and European institutions.

Students will be able to browse the available internship opportunities and access all relevant information through a dedicated section that will soon be available on the STARS EU website.

* These internships are carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, under the international mobility for traineeships scheme.

Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB) is preparing the first edition of the International Challenge-Based Semester, a 30 ECTS international learning experience developed within the framework of the STARS EU Alliance and designed for students who want to learn beyond traditional classrooms.

Planned for the second semester of the 2026/2027 academic year, the programme will bring together students from different countries and academic backgrounds to work on real-world challenges through multidisciplinary, project-based learning.

Taught entirely in English, the semester will combine academic learning, applied research, field experience and collaboration with external stakeholders. Students will work in international teams, developing innovative solutions to challenges connected to local and regional contexts while strengthening their research, communication and problem-solving skills.

Key features of the programme include:

• International and multidisciplinary teams

• Real-world challenges

• Applied research and innovation

• Collaboration with stakeholders

• 30 ECTS taught in English

The International Challenge-Based Semester is being developed as a pilot initiative and represents an important step towards new forms of European collaboration in higher education. By connecting students, research, innovation and regional impact, it reflects the STARS EU vision of creating transformative learning experiences that empower people and contribute to the development of regions.