ESCAD Days 2026 promote the exchange of experiences and connections with professionals from different sectors to explore future challenges
On 18 and 19 November 2026, the School of Administration Sciences (ESCAD), part of the Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony (IPLUSO), will host another edition of ESCAD Days, under the theme “Your Future Starts Here! Conversations at ESCAD”.
The initiative opens its doors to the academic community, secondary and vocational school students, businesses and the wider public, aiming to bring higher education closer to the realities of organisations and encourage direct interaction between students, lecturers, experts and professionals from different sectors.
Over two days, the programme will feature talks, presentations and hands-on experiences covering management, economics, public administration, tourism, marketing, artificial intelligence, energy and innovation, providing opportunities to share knowledge and reflect on the challenges and opportunities of the professional world.
On 18 November, discussions will focus on the personal and professional skills needed to build a career, the challenges facing Public Administration, opportunities in the Tourism sector, the transformation of marketing and creativity in the age of artificial intelligence, and the economic analysis of fiscal measures applied to fuel markets.
Guest speakers include Jorge Gaspar, Vice-President of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR Lisboa), Maria João Conceição, from Orbitur, Alexandre Duarte, lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of NOVA University Lisbon (NOVA FCSH), and Rui Vigário Rodrigues, from the Portuguese Ministry of Finance.
On 19 November, the programme will highlight sport, entrepreneurship and technology, featuring Ricardo Andorinho, founder and CEO of Sportrack, in a discussion on innovation and emerging opportunities within the sports ecosystem. Other topics will include the impact of artificial intelligence, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and the digital transformation of the energy sector.
The initiative will also include practical activities led by students, particularly in Hospitality and Restaurant Management, as well as the presentation of the ESCAD Internship Programme 2026/2027, strengthening connections between academic education, partner companies and opportunities for professional integration.
For secondary and vocational school students, ESCAD Days offers an opportunity to discover the school, explore different educational pathways, meet professionals and clarify questions about their academic and professional futures. For ESCAD students, the event provides an opportunity to develop skills, share experiences, build professional networks and gain a better understanding of the demands of the labour market.
More than an academic event, ESCAD Days reflects the school's commitment to higher education that is closely connected to people, organisations and the challenges facing society.
Programme
18 November | Wednesday
09:30 | Opening Session
- Prof. Fernando Duarte, President of IPLUSO
- Prof. Rui Ribeiro, Director of ESCAD
10:00 | Your Opportunity Starts Here: How to Make an Excellent First Impression
- Ana Rita, Madalena and Mariana — Higher Professional Technical Programme in Human Resources Administration
10:40 | Public Administration: Challenges and Opportunities
- Prof. Jorge Gaspar — Vice-President of CCDR Lisboa
11:10 | Coffee Break and Practical Hospitality and Restaurant Management Demonstration
- Students from the Higher Professional Technical Programme in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
11:20 | Orbitur — Opportunities and Careers in Tourism
- Maria João Conceição — Human Resources, Orbitur
11:50 | Creativity is dead. Long live creativity
- Alexandre Duarte — Professor at NOVA FCSH, formerly Brandia
12:20 | Have Fiscal Mitigation Measures Stabilised Fuel Markets? Evidence from Portugal's 2022 Fiscal Intervention Using Econometrics and Complexity Theory
- Rui Vigário Rodrigues — Portuguese Ministry of Finance
13:00 | Academic and Cultural Session
19 November | Thursday
09:30 | Sportrack — The Sports Social Network
- Ricardo Andorinho — CEO and Founder of Sportrack
09:55 | The World of Digital Technology and AI: When Artificial Intelligence Gives Us What We Are Looking For
- Bernardo Ferreira — Founding AI Search Optimization Strategist, Reach AI
10:20 | Alternative Dispute Resolution: The Role of Mandatory Arbitration
- Elionora Cardoso — Arbitrator at the Consumer Arbitration Tribunal
10:45 | Session to Be Announced
11:10 | Coffee Break and Practical Hospitality and Restaurant Management Demonstration
- Students from the Higher Professional Technical Programme in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
11:30 | The Energy Sector — From the Digital World to the Switches in Our Homes
- Luís Freitas — Vice-President of CGI
12:00 | Developing Skills for the Labour Market
- André Malpique — Responsible for Production and Sales Management, Doorgate
12:30 | Presentation of the ESCAD Internship Programme 2026–2027 and Q&A
- Prof. Rui Ribeiro — Director of ESCAD
12:50 | ESCAD Days Closing Ceremony and IPLUSO Academic Tuna Concert
