The municipality of Valença is strengthening partnerships to host an international laboratory dedicated to aerospace engineering and the development of technologies related to ocean energy. The initiative was presented at the Town Hall and is based on a partnership between the Chinese Space Center and several Portuguese institutions of higher education and engineering.

Yonghe Zhang, vice president of MicroSat, emphasized during the project presentation that the Chinese side wants to collaborate with Portuguese institutions to build a solid foundation in applied research with international impact.

In a statement, the local government said the new laboratory also aims to be “the seed for highly qualified new companies in these fields, with a strong impact on technological advancement and applied research in the aerospace sector.” For the Mayor of Valença, José Manuel Carpinteira, the project represents “an opportunity to attract knowledge, technology, and investment” to the municipality.

The Cerval Aerodrome has been identified as a potential location for the future laboratory, which is part of the STARLAB initiative, jointly developed by the University of Minho and UTAD. The initiative seeks to “strengthen the scientific and technological cooperation ties between Portugal and China.”

(Source: Notícias de Viana – Portugal,  on June 25)