LASIGE has received the highest rating of “Excellent” in the latest national evaluation conducted by the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology). This rating reflects the outstanding quality and impact of the unit’s work during the evaluation period from 2018 to 2023.

The evaluation, carried out by an international panel, was based on three main criteria:

• The quality, merit, relevance, level of collaboration, and internationalisation of the R&D activities performed between 2018 and 2023.
• The scientific and technological merit of LASIGE’s research team.
• The quality, merit, and relevance of the scientific objectives, the activity plan, and organisational structure for the upcoming period from 2025 to 2029.

LASIGE had previously been evaluated as excellent for the 2013-2017 period. The results from 2018 to 2023 showcase the success of LASIGE’s sustained strategy in promoting high-quality, relevant, and internationally visible research.

Some notable highlights from this period include participation in various EU-funded projects, such as DiSIEM, CIRCLES, IDEA-FAST, SONAAR, ADMORPH, SATO (in which LASIGE served as coordinator), VEDLIoT, BRAINTEASER, KATY, WAI-Coop, WideHealth, SEEDS, Smart2B, HOFGA (ERC grant)  and HARIA. LASIGE has also produced high-quality outputs through publications in prestigious conferences and journals. The unit has a strong record in internationalisation, having hosted and welcomed dozens of researchers, participated in COST Actions, and maintained dual PhD programs with top institutions like Carnegie Mellon University, Grenoble, and Luxembourg.

LASIGE’s projects and collaborations span key areas such as energy efficiency (SATO, Smart2B), urban management (LxDataLab), and digital accessibility research (ShiftHRI, PlayFam, AccessVR), with significant involvement in W3C working groups (here and here). Furthermore, LASIGE is actively engaged in health-related interdisciplinary projects and networks, including redeSAÚDE (here and here), which connects interests from Portuguese public, private, and social sectors. These efforts reflect LASIGE’s commitment to leveraging computational research for societal impact.

LASIGE’s contributions to accessibility research have been recognised with Best Paper Awards at CHI in 2022 and 2023. The longevity of LASIGE’s research impact has resulted in 3 “Tests of Time” awards: its work in resilient systems has earned DSN Test-of-Time Awards in 2021 and 2024, and its contributions to programming languages were honoured with the 2019 ETAPS Test of Time Award.

Additionally, LASIGE’s spin-off, Vawlt, and its participation in the ATTRACT-DIH consortium align with its knowledge transfer strategy.

This distinction underscores the strength of the unit’s research team and its contributions to international scientific advancement. We congratulate all LASIGE members—researchers, students, staff, and collaborators—whose dedication and hard work have made this achievement possible.