Research > Observatories

Vale Formoso’s Soil Erosion Experimental Centre

The Vale Formoso’s Soil Erosion Experimental Centre (CEESVF) is a reputed centre in Europe and worldwide in subjects such as soil erosion in agricultural areas and desertification.

This status is due to the quality of the existing information as well as to the longevity of this centre. It is operating from the agricultural year of 1960-61 until the present day, and during this period the centre has been implementing in installments experimental models, that seek to evaluate the importance of agricultural practices and the role of different cultures in the conservation of soil and water.

The centre is located at the Beja district, Mértola “Serra” county – 2 km from Vale do Poço  –, left bank of the Guadiana river, in the Herdade de Vale Formoso.

This Herdade is part of  Baixo Alentejo’s Experimental Centre – Alentejo’s Regional Directorate of Agriculture – Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development.

Since the beginning of the 90s, the scientific coordination of CEESVF and the research and dissemination activities are under the responsibility of Maria José Roxo, researcher at CICS.NOVA.

Azorean Youth Observatory

The Autonomous Region of the Azores being one of the youngest regions of the European Union, the Regional Government of the Azores recognizing its human potential and attentive to the constant social, economic and cultural changes, considers that the upcoming years should be a milestone in the implementation of its audacious programmes in the field of youth, namely in what matters to the creation of an innovative, creative, supportive, and entrepreneurial youth.

In this regard, the Azorean Youth Observatory presents itself an important instrument for the study and analysis of the Azorean youths and as a support mechanism for the definition and management of the public policies, based in strategic guidelines, with objectives and measures that reinforce the Azorean youth and qualify them to overcome the new challenges.

The Azorean Youth Observatory, a project developed between the Government of the Azores, through the Regional Directorate for the Youth, and the University of the Azores, through the CICS.NOVA, besides allowing the dissemination of updated knowledge and information of interest to the youth, through the website, will serve for a greater understanding of this age group and for political decision-making.

Executive DirectorFernando Diogo

Scientific Coordinators: Ana Cristina Palos and Sandro Serpa

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Observatory for Technology Assessment (OAT)

OAT is a research unit of the research centre CICS.NOVA. It is the only research unit dedicated to Technology Assessment in Portugal. Our research is conducted in several disciplinary fields, such as sociology, engineering, management and science and technology studies. The unit conducts research projects on different TA topics, such as health, transport, indicators and several emerging technologies.

Although OAT originated in the Doctoral Program in Technology Assessment of FCT-UNL, it includes also several researchers working in Technology Assessment across the country. These groups concentrate their Technology Assessment activities in the fields of industrial sociology, management systems, foresight analysis in innovation, economics, and organizational studies, among others.
The Observatory also edits a scientific journal (Enterprise and Work Innovation Studies) since 2005, publishes the IET Working Papers Series, and organizes international meetings and regular conferences related to Technology Assessment. It also maintains information at the Economics and Social Sciences Repository RePEc, the Directory of Open Access Journals DOAJ, EBSCO and BASE – Bielefeld Academic Search Engine. OAT has an International Scientific Board and a National Advisory Board, and is physically located at NOVA FCT. One of the unit’s main objectives is the national and international cooperation activities, establishing various research networks at the European level, and involving also colleagues from South and North America.

Coordinator: António Brandão Moniz

More information:  http://sites.fct.unl.pt/observatorio-avaliacao-tecnologia

National Observatory of Violence and Gender (ONVG)

The National Observatory of Violence and Gender (Observatório Nacional de Violência de Género, ONVG) is located at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, integrating researchers from all faculties of the New University of Lisbon, as well as distinguished international experts.

Founded in 2008, it is the first national observatory covering the fields of Gender and Violence, and its independent structure is in line with that suggested by the Council of Europe, following scientific and academic guidelines such as those pertaining to its parent university.

The Observatory appeared as a consequence of several research efforts conducted over the past two decades by a team of CICS.NOVA, whose results have helped deepen the scientific knowledge on the various dimensions of social – particularly against women –, domestic and gender violence, and to influence national policies in this area, as well as to inform and support policies and recommendations of international bodies.

Its institutional structure is composed of a Director, the Scientific Committee, integrating doctoral researchers only, the Partner Commission, the Consultative Committee and a body of senior and junior researchers.

The Observatory’s main goals are to carry out the survey and scientific criticism of sources; to collect, process and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, both directly and indirectly relevant to understanding the different forms of violence; to promote studies aimed at understanding the causes and dynamics, as well as the social, cultural and  psychosocial processes that are associated with the production and reproduction of violence and gender inequality over time, and the emergence of new forms of violence and risk situations; to build knowledge for monitoring the phenomenon over time; to evaluate policies and make international comparisons.

The information produced and organized at the ONVG constitutes a scientific knowledge starting point that will also benefit academic activities and research, based on standards of excellence and efficient support for decision making and action in combating and preventing the phenomenon.

DirectorManuel Lisboa

More information: http://www.onvg.fcsh.unl.pt/index.php