MISSION
The mission of CERIS is to create and disseminate scientific knowledge and to promote innovation in the Built and Natural Environment sector through the active involvement in fundamental and applied research, atboth national and international levels, and to enhance higher education and research training.
To accomplish its mission, CERIS operates under a clear set of objectives and organizes its activity in thematic strands selected according to national and European policy guidelines.
OBJECTIVES
CERIS coordinates, under the same host institution, knowledge and skills in theBuilt and Natural Environment sector under the following objectives:
a) To promote quality research based on PhD programs;
b) To transfer its expertise by providing specialized training, services and consulting;
c) To ensure a wide dissemination of its results.
To promote quality research, the policy of
CERIS is to organize the PhD programs in the framework of national and international networks and consortia and to integrate doctoral theses in competitive research funding projects.
CERIS also benefits from the direct participation of
IST in international networks and programs set up to promote the mobility of students and researchers, namely CLUSTER, CESAER, TIME, ATHENS, MAGALHÃES-SMILE, WELCOME and TRANSPORTNET.
CERIS participates in international initiatives promoted by
IST and cooperates with national professional associations to deliver high quality specialized Continuing Professional Development. Its main partner in this endeavour is
FUNDEC, the knowledge transfer interface created by
DECivil in 1995 in partnership with major firms operating in the built environment sector.
To develop mutually beneficial relationships with industrial and engineering firms, central and local administration and with governmental agencies,
CERIS focuses on the formulations of public and private policies and advice, and on innovation programmes that address specific needs of the sector, principally through the
Portuguese Construction Technology Platform and the
Portuguese Water Partnership.
CERIS strongly values the dissemination of research results through the best-ranked journals and the best-established conferences. They have a decisive impact in terms of recognition and visibility and, consequently, in the participation in contracted research and the recruitment of young researchers. The partnerships mentioned above play an important role in the dissemination of knowledge transfer initiatives and are instrumental in enabling a closer relationship with public and private institutions.
