The Doctoral School: Turn your thesis into a startup

The EIT Manufacturing Doctoral School supports PhD students in transforming their research results or patents into marketable solutions.

The EIT Doctoral School is FREE for FEUP PhD students, making it an excellent opportunity for them to pursue their entrepreneurial and research ambitions.

The University of Porto, stands as one of the founding members of the EIT Manufacturing Doctoral School. This innovative doctoral program empowers PhD students to transform their research findings into groundbreaking marketable solutions, fostering a thriving ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship within the manufacturing sector.

The programme involves PhD students from EIT-Manufacturing partner universities and may include collaboration with industry partners from the EIT Manufacturing community which help create an industrial doctorate position. These partners come from a variety of sectors such as automotive, aerospace, process industry, machinery and equipment, electronics, Information and Communication Technologies or medical technologies.

The EIT Manufacturing Doctoral School is a complementary programme on top of the PhD studies. This Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) programme from us is an international two-year education focused on manufacturing innovation and entrepreneurship. The educational experience is enriched through five months, in which students are given the opportunity to move in academic and non-academic environments.

Programme overview

The I&E programme is categorised into 2 tracks allowing PhD students follow the track that is most suitable for their professional career. Our selection committee will identify the suitable track based on your application.

In both the tracks, students focus on learning “How to Develop a Business Idea”, in the first year and in the second year, they delve into “How to Validate a Business Idea and Prepare for a Launch”. What differentiates the tracks is that, in the Business Creation track, students will have a 1-to-1 mentoring session from our experts who will assist you in every step of your business creation.

Track 1: Awareness and Orientation track

The Awareness and Orientation track within the I&E Program is designed for PhD students not currently planning immediate entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial projects. It is a two-year programme.

Track 2: Business Creation track

The Business Creation track in the I&E Program is designed for PhD students with a specific interest in developing their own entrepreneurial business idea. This track comprises two one-year programmes.

How to apply?!

Application deadline: 15 February 2024 Applicants must be enrolled into a PhD position at one of our partner universities (check our partner universities)

Apply now

WINTER SCHOOL 2024

Augmented manufacturing is transforming the industrial landscape by enhancing efficiency and sustainability through the integration of digital technologies. As part of the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, initiatives like the EIT Manufacturing Winter School play a crucial role in driving these
advancements forward. With the guiding principle that “Machines don’t solve problems; humans solve them together!”, the program is designed to empower participants with the essential leadership, intellectual, and creative skills required to tackle complex global challenges.

To get a glimpse into this forward-thinking program, check out the video, which reveals where the EIT Manufacturing Winter School is shaping future leaders in the field of augmented manufacturing this year! This program is more than just an academic exercise—it’s a hands-on, collaborative effort to create a sustainable, technologically advanced future.

Sign up HERE!

On site events

The I&E programmes take place from April to December every year.

They are delivered in blended mode with online activities along the year and three on site events as below:

Spring School: April 3 to 16, 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia

Summer School: July 2024 (dates and place yet to be decided)

Winter School: November – December 2024 (dates and place yet to be decided)

Doctoral Summer School

 

3 weeks blended programme

The EITM Doctoral Summer School on Smart Systems for Resilient Manufacturing (SSRM) and Market Exploration offers participants a stimulating learning by doing experience during which they will discuss their research results in the Summer Symposium, international lecturers provide state-of-the-art knowledge and entrepreneurship experts will guide you along a Market Exploration Bootcamp to develop innovative business ideas.

Note: This was the topic for the programme in 2023

Doctoral Winter School

 

3 weeks blended programme

The EITM Doctoral Winter School on Innovation Ecosystem & Business Design offers participants with the skills and knowledge to design and develop business ideas that align with their professional and personal backgrounds while exploring how cutting-edge technologies and emerging business trends are implemented in an industrial setting

Note: This was the topic for the programme in 2023

Affiliation

 

Along with the PhD degree from our partner universities, all our students are Awarded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The EIT Label is a certificate of quality and excellence for educational programmes that are focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and leadership.

Manufacturing Innovation Webinars

EIT Manufacturing offers 6 innovative webinars on various topics of manufacturing such as Digital, Ethical, Sustainable, Supply Chain Maufacturing, etc. providing an in-depth understanding of these topics which is an essential step to move towards innovative, modern and sustainable manufacturing techniques. The webinars are taught by experts from EIT Manufacturing partner universities, University of Tartu, Mondragon University and Czech Technical University.

Manufacturing and Industrial Insights and Tendencies

Gain insights into the historical evolution of design tools, understand the role of digital supply chain in manufacturing, and learn to apply AI and expert systems for efficient process design and production planning, equipping them with knowledge to navigate and innovate in the digital manufacturing landscape.

Date: 30 & 31 May 2024

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Sustainable, Social and Ethical Manufacturing

Recognize diversity in the aging workplace while promoting skills and abilities through Human Centered Design. Integrate diversity in the design of workplaces, and in the new human-machine interfaces. Comprehend the opportunities and responsabilities in a purpose driven organisation. Include and manage ethics in the strategic and management plans of any organisation.

Date: 24 & 25 Oct 2024

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Technology as a Driver for Solution Design

Deep understanding of how technology influences innovation in manufacturing, gaining practical skills in applying cutting-edge technologies, embrace design thinking for solution creation, and foster the ability to tackle real-world manufacturing challenges.

Date: 16 & 17 Sept 2024

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The Issues and Developments of Digital Manufacturing

Recognise business models based on data as a new source of profit. Distinguish the real value of digital twins in engineering applications from the myth. Practice knowledge in a simulation task using original and intuitive software.

Date: 16 & 17 Oct 2024

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Sustainable, Social and Ethical Manufacturing

Recognize diversity in the aging workplace while promoting skills and abilities through Human Centered Design. Integrate diversity in the design of workplaces, and in the new human-machine interfaces. Comprehend the opportunities and responsabilities in a purpose driven organisation. Include and manage ethics in the strategic and management plans of any organisation.

Date: 24 & 25 Oct 2024

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Prototyping Design Constraints and Industrial Feasibility

Learn to integrate sustainable design principles into prototyping, master carbon footprint calculations, utilize 3D design software for responsible prototyping, and prepare designs for industrial feasibility, culminating in enhanced skills for creating environmentally conscious and production-ready prototypes.

Date: 12 & 13 Dec 2024

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Funding