Mapping Scientific Collaborations between Portugal and the Nordic Countries at the University of Copenhagen
- SPOT Nordic
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
On September 26, SPOT Nordic, in partnership with PAND (PhD Association Network of Denmark), hosted an event dedicated to presenting the report on scientific collaborations between Portugal and the Nordic countries. The session brought together researchers, PhD students, professors, institutional representatives, diplomats, and members of the Portuguese academic diaspora living in Denmark.
Opening session by the Ambassador of Portugal to Denmark
The opening session featured João Maria Cabral, Ambassador of Portugal to Denmark, who emphasized the growing importance of science diplomacy in strengthening relations between Portugal and the Nordic countries.
He also congratulated SPOT Nordic for its work over the past five years, which he has closely followed.
Among the speakers was Sandra Carapeto, Co-Chair of PAND and Board Member of SPOT Nordic, who, despite not being able to attend in person, shared a video message highlighting the importance of academic networks and young researchers in building scientific and professional bridges between the two contexts.
She mentioned several research support programs, such as the Nordic Grant and the FCT Mobility Program.
This was followed by two video messages from Jade Müller and Isabel Neto, winners of the latest edition of the Nordic Grant Program, who reflected on their mobility and scientific collaboration experiences in the Nordic region.
Report Presentation: Data, Methodology, and Recommendations
This project was developed by SPOT Nordic and funded by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology). The full report can be accessed here:
David Pereira de Castro, President of SPOT Nordic, Lecturer and PhD Fellow at Copenhagen Business School (Denmark), provided the background for the report, highlighting the growing number of partnerships and research projects between Portugal and the Nordic countries.
He also reinforced the association’s strategic vision and objectives, within which this project is framed.
This was followed by a presentation from Daniela Murteira, Scientific Diplomacy Intern at SPOT Nordic and Master’s student in International Politics at Roskilde University (Denmark). She presented the key findings of the report, as well as the methodology used to map collaboration networks, joint publications, institutional mobility, and priority thematic areas. Several case studies of Portuguese research projects in the Nordic countries were also presented, including Patient Innovation, Asgard Therapeutics, and the work of Professor Vítor Cardoso.
Later, Duarte Ferreira, President of the Scientific Council and Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), shared strategic insights and recommendations, highlighting opportunities to strengthen cooperation through joint funding programs, greater institutional visibility, and enhanced bidirectional mobility.
Case Study: Asgard Therapeutics
After the report presentation, Fábio Rosa, Head of Research at Asgard Therapeutics—a company founded by Portuguese researchers and currently based in Sweden, focused on innovative cancer treatments—shared his journey.
He spoke about his and his colleagues’ path as researchers in Portugal more than a decade ago, and their evolution into a successful company with access to various research funding sources.
His intervention underlined the importance of funding and support for young Portuguese researchers to help transform academic research projects into globally scalable businesses.
The event concluded with a Q&A session and a coffee break, allowing for exchanges among the ~30 guests who attended.
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