The School of Communication and Media Studies (ESCS) of the Polytechnic University of Lisbon (UPL) has secured funding approval for three research projects under the 10th edition of the Research, Development, Innovation and Artistic Creation Competition (IDI&CA) 2026/2027, organised by UPL. The projects LIDERA, KMA2026 and COM.NUTRI are among the 36 proposals selected by the University, with a total funding allocation of €180.000.

The three ESCS projects were selected following an evaluation process that considered, among other criteria, the scientific merit of the proposals and research teams, their innovative nature, feasibility and the potential impact of their results.

The ESCS projects approved for funding are:

• LIDERA, coordinated by Professor Fernanda Bonacho, received a final score of 75.51 points;
• KMA2026, coordinated by Professor João Ferreira do Rosário, achieved a final score of 74.84 points;
• COM.NUTRI, coordinated by Professor Sandra Pereira, received a final score of 74.46 points.

Each project may receive up to €5.000 in funding to support its planned research activities. Work is expected to begin on 30 November 2026, with projects running for 12 to 18 months.

Across UPL, a total of 36 projects were approved, representing all eight of the University's constituent schools and institutes and covering a range of scientific, technological and artistic fields.

The IDI&CA Competition aims to encourage scientific research, technological development, innovation and artistic creation by promoting the involvement of academic staff and researchers in the production and dissemination of knowledge. The initiative also seeks to foster collaboration across different scientific fields and institutions, supporting the development of publications, research projects and other forms of scientific and artistic output.

The approval of these three projects contributes to the development of research activities at ESCS and strengthens research across different fields of Communication, while recognising the work carried out by the School's academic staff.

Further information is available on the UPL website (in Portuguese).