The Faculty of Biotechnology (ESB) of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP-ESB) took part in an international academic mission to Indonesia, within the scope of the project FIND4S – Enhancing Higher Education Capacity for Sustainable Data-Driven Food Systems, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
Between 1 and 10 October 2025, ESB joined a delegation from the four European universities involved in the project, which visited seven partner universities in the Semarang region, Central Java province.
The European delegation — including representatives from KU Leuven (Belgium), University College Dublin (Ireland), and Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Germany), in addition to UCP — was officially welcomed by Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), the project’s coordinating institution in Indonesia.
UCP-ESB was represented by Rui Morais and Alcina Morais, faculty members and researchers with expertise in food sustainability and circular economy. Both participated in technical and strategic meetings with Indonesian universities and contributed with Guest Lectures and Keynote Speeches in scientific events held during the mission.
One of the highlights was the participation in the 1st International Conference on Food Sustainability of Data Science (ICD4SS), organised by Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang (UNIMUS) in collaboration with the FIND4S consortium, where Professor Alcina Morais addressed topics related to aquatic resource innovation and sustainability under the theme “Sustainable Production of Films and Edible Coatings.”
Professor Rui Morais delivered a Guest Lecture at Universitas Semarang (USM) on “Case Studies from CBQF on Food By-Products and Wastewater Valorization,” highlighting sustainable approaches to the valorisation of food residues and industrial effluents developed at CBQF. Professor Alcina Morais also presented a Guest Lecture at Universitas Karangturi (UNKARTUR) on “Dehydration Technologies for Agri-Food By-Products: Apple and Ginger Pomace.”
During the visit, European and Indonesian partners also participated in the launch of the FORC3S – Food Research for Safety, Security, and Sustainability initiative, which aims to strengthen cooperation in research, curriculum development, and institutional capacity building.
The participation of the Faculty of Biotechnology in this mission reinforces its commitment to the internationalisation of higher education and to contributing towards more resilient and sustainable food systems. The direct involvement of its faculty members in capacity-building and scientific exchange initiatives with Indonesian universities represents another strategic step in consolidating global partnerships across the Euro-Asian region.
