FCTUC

Centre for Functional Ecology
Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of, Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra
Address: Calçada Martim de Freitas 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
Tel. +351 239 240 700
Fax. +351 239 855 211
email: cfe@uc.pt

Brief description

University of Coimbra (UC) is a reference in higher education and R&D in Portugal, due to the quality of the courses taught and to the advances achieved in pure and applied research in various scientific domains. UC pursues a policy of continuous improvement in several areas, ensuring high standards of teaching and research. The continuous technological development promoted by UC’s different R&D units addresses the challenges involved in the design, operation and regulation of technologies, bringing together teachers from different scientific disciplines with a long experience in teaching, research, technology transfer and consultancy in different areas. UC offers advanced training programs that bind to technology, where we highlight those related to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at Portugal and the University of Texas-Austin (UT) Programs and Associated Laboratories. The offer in technological research makes UC a reference in R&D in Portugal, which highlights the excellence of work developed by the R&D units of UC, besides the previously mentioned Associated Laboratories. UC stands out also on technology transfer being involved in the promotion of several initiatives, like Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) Incubator and the sience park Biocant, and in the creation of diverse technological spin-offs. The UC is today an example of dynamism in its constant search for improvement and enhancement of knowledge, research and technology, contributing decisively to the improvement of science, technology and to the enhancement of knowledge as an essential element of people´s lives. The Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE) is a research centre of UC that seeks to improve knowledge of ecosystem functioning, from the biodiversity of microorganisms, plants and fauna to the ecological complexity of their interactions at the community level