FCCN, the scientific computing unit, celebrates three decades of innovation

This edition coincided with FCCN’s 30th anniversary. The celebration was marked during the plenary session of the event by the president of the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) Carlos Salema, who was also the first president of FCCN, followed by a video showcasing FCCN’s key moments in the organization’s evolution over the last three decades. This was also the first time a member of government took part in the annual meeting; Maria Fernanda Rollo, Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Higher Education, traveled to the Algarve to talk about “Knowledge for all: a pathway for public policy on Open Science.” João Nuno Ferreira, representing FCCN, and Ester Serrão, on behalf of the University of the Algarve, also took part in this plenary commemorative session.

With over 260 registered participants, this year's Jornadas was, once again, a success. Information technology technical and support staff, librarians, researchers, and other members of the scientific community took part in three intense days of meetings, workshops, exploratory sessions, and plenary sessions.

The three days were marked by networking interaction between the participants, and intensive learning experiences, in sessions devoted to the wide range of services offered by FCCN: connectivity, collaboration, knowledge, computing, and network security.

The leisure moments of the Jornadas – a Happy Hour and the social dinner – were excellent opportunities for strengthening bonds and collaborations within the research and higher education communities.

The next edition of the FCCN annual conference will take place in 2017, in the Northeast of Portugal, Vila Real, at UTAD – University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.