INCoDe.2030 is a “coherent and ambitious program”, says External Evaluation Committee

The External Review Committe's first evaluation evaluated INCoDe.2030 as a “coherent and very ambitious program, [with] an inspired vision for the future”. The Group's conclusions were presented during the event Ciência 2019.

The External Review Committee monitors and evaluates INCoDe.2030 on an annual basis, and is composed of three independent experts of recognized international merit: Laurent Crouzet of the French Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Donatella Castelli of the Italian National Research Council, and Nora McGregor of the British Library. 

Among the first impressions conveyed by the National Initiative, the group highlighted the unavoidable relevance of the program, composed of a relatively small but dynamic team, which has a very positive initial positive balance. More specifically, each action line was evaluated in its practical application by verifying ongoing projects as part of a three-day visit from 17 to 19 June.

- Action line 1: In the scope of Digital Inclusion, the Committee visited two Creative Communities (CCDI) in Santo Tirso and Barcelos, as well as BizDirect, in Viseu, to promote female participation in ICT. According to the Evaluation Group, this INCoDe.2030 effort should be transversal to all action lines. 

- Action line 2: The support for increased interaction between teachers and employers regarding the ICT school curriculum is one of the recommendations the Committee makes to INCoDe.2030. In the area of Education, the Group visited Ciência Viva’s Portugal Coding Move, in Lisbon.

- Action line 3: Examples of projects for Digital Qualification were present throughout the three-day visit. Starting in the North, on the 17th, the SWitCH program, organized by Porto Tech Hub, was presented to the Group, followed by the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Industry 4.0 program); and on June 19th, in Lisbon, the Committee attended the presentation of a strategy for digital qualification, led by the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP). In this area, the External Committee has suggested broadening partnerships in the Industry sector.

- Action line 4: The Committee praised the current initiatives in the context of Specialisation: the partnership between the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu and Deloitte, through the Higher Vocational Technical Courses (TeSP), is one of these good practices.

- Action line 5: The recently opened Minho Advanced Computing Center (MACC) was the project chosen to illustrate INCoDe.2030's focus on Research. The Committee recommends supporting a convergence between High Performance Computing, High Performance Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, and linking national projects to European initiatives.

In the light of this positive assessment, the External Group closed the presentation of these conclusions, stating that “INCoDe.2030 represents a concrete commitment to tackling a major challenge and is a useful vehicle by which Portugal can transform its economy”.