21 October 2026
Dressing the Future: Fourth Edition of OPEN and IDEA Programmes Now Open for Applications Until 30 October
Applications are open until 30 October for the fourth edition of the OPEN and IDEA programmes, organised by NOVA University Lisbon as part of the Connect – Transforming Knowledge into Impact project.
This edition focuses on Sustainability and Sustainable Consumption, with a particular emphasis on the textile sector, bringing together participants interested in exploring and developing innovative solutions to contemporary social challenges.
The OPEN programme, taking place on 5 November, offers an intensive day dedicated to exploring and anticipating challenges and opportunities in the textile sector. Key topics, including consumer psychology and sustainable consumption in the textile industry, will be addressed by two mentors: Ricardo Fonseca, a brand, communication and behavioural sciences consultant, lecturer at ISPA and researcher at EDUNOVA.ISPA; and Vera Colaço, lecturer and researcher at the Catholic University of Portugal, with over 15 years of experience in the textile, clothing and fashion industries.
The programme will also feature contributions from Rita Lopes, professor at NOVA FCT and Vice-President of the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE), and Susana Fonseca, founder and Vice-President of ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System.
The IDEA programme, meanwhile, offers six days dedicated to developing social innovation projects using design thinking methodologies, running from 12 November to 10 December. At the end of the programme, two projects will be selected for a six-month incubation period at Casa do Impacto. The programme is coordinated by Guilherme Vitorino, Deputy Dean of NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS) and Coordinator of the NOVA Innovation & Analytics Lab.
Open to the general public, the initiative welcomes professionals, researchers, students and anyone interested in testing ideas and expanding their knowledge in key areas of social and territorial development. Participation is free of charge, subject to application.
Both programmes are part of Connect – Transforming Knowledge into Impact, a collaborative initiative bringing together NOVA University Lisbon, Casa do Impacto and the Yunus Social Innovation Center at the Catholic University of Portugal, with the aim of fostering innovative solutions to social and environmental challenges.
Further information and applications are available [here].