There are moments that transcend the simple commemoration of an anniversary and become an opportunity to revisit history, acknowledge the journey undertaken, and project the challenges of the future. It was in this spirit that I participated in the opening session of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of regular Computer Science education at the University of Minho, an initiative promoted by the Computer Science Department of the School of Engineering, which took place on April 8, 2026, at the Gualtar Campus in Braga.

As a researcher, doctoral student, and university lecturer, it was a privilege to witness an event that honored half a century of teaching, research, and innovation in a field that continues to profoundly transform society.

Fifty years of pioneering work in Information Technology in Portugal

The history of Computer Science at the University of Minho is, in many aspects, intertwined with the history of Computer Engineering in Portugal itself.

The journey began in the 1976/1977 academic year with the creation of the Production Engineering – Systems Branch course, considered pioneering in the country. The curriculum included innovative subjects for the time, such as Programming Languages, Computer Systems, and Data Processing, complemented by a curricular internship in industry, bringing academic training closer to the needs of the business sector from the outset.

A few years later, the historic Bachelor’s degree in Systems and Computer Engineering (LESI) and the Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science (LMCC) emerged, courses that marked successive generations of engineers and contributed decisively to the development of Computer Science in Portugal.

Throughout these five decades, the educational offerings have continuously evolved, keeping pace with the technological and scientific transformations that have redefined the sector, giving rise to new areas such as Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Information Security, Medical Informatics, High-Performance Computing, Bioinformatics, and Quantum Computing.

A ceremony of celebration and remembrance

The opening session featured speeches by the Rector of the University of Minho, Professor Pedro Arezes, the President of the School of Engineering, Professor António Vicente, and the Director of the Department of Informatics, Professor Luís Soares Barbosa, who highlighted the crucial role of the Department of Informatics in establishing the University of Minho as a national and international reference in teaching and research in Computer Engineering.

The program also included a musical performance by the string quartet and clarinet from the Department of Music of the School of Letters, Arts and Human Sciences, followed by the round table “Informatics 50 Years — Memory and Challenge“, moderated by Professor João Álvaro Carvalho, bringing together several professors who helped build the history of the Department.

The celebrations continued with the inauguration of the exhibition “Informatics at UMinho: 50 Years,” allowing visitors to revisit significant moments in the evolution of Informatics at the University of Minho, from the first computers and laboratories to current international research projects.

A department that helped transform Portugal

Throughout the ceremony, it was impossible not to recall some of the historical milestones that have made the Department of Informatics a national benchmark.

It was in this Department that some of the first major Portuguese projects related to the Internet emerged, including the organization of the first national conference dedicated to the World Wide Web, the hosting of the first Portuguese institutional website, and the sending of the first institutional email message in the country.

This pioneering spirit continues today, reflected in the strong link between teaching, research, and innovation, as well as in close collaboration with national and international companies and organizations.

The ALGORITMI and INESC TEC research centers, deeply linked to the Department, continue to develop internationally recognized research in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Distributed Systems, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Intelligent Computing, and Knowledge Engineering.

Investigation as identity

As a member of the scientific community at the University of Minho, it has been particularly inspiring to witness the appreciation of the research produced over these five decades.

The ability to combine high-quality teaching with internationally recognized research is one of the University of Minho’s greatest strengths.

Over the years, thousands of students have passed through the classrooms of the Department of Informatics, many of whom are now researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, or responsible for the development of some of the technologies used daily by millions of people.

This trajectory demonstrates that scientific excellence results not only from the production of knowledge, but also from the ability to train professionals prepared to meet the challenges of an increasingly digital society.

Looking ahead to the next fifty years

The celebrations now underway will continue until April 2027, through seminars, workshops, roundtables, exhibitions, and various initiatives open to the community.

More than celebrating the past, these activities invite us to reflect on the future of Computer Science.

We are living through a particularly challenging period, marked by the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Data Engineering, Cybersecurity, and Spatial Computing. In this context, the Department of Computer Science at the University of Minho continues to assert itself as one of the leading national players in the production of scientific knowledge and the training of highly qualified professionals.

An exhibition that evokes memories.

One of the moments that most marked me during this celebration was the inauguration of the exhibition “Informatics at UMinho: 50 Years,” installed in the Informatics Department building.

More than a journey through technological evolution, this exhibition represents a true preservation of the memory of Informatics in Portugal. Among historical computers, emblematic equipment, and various objects that marked different eras of computing, it is possible to revisit the evolution of an area that profoundly transformed society.

I confess that I have a very special affection for this museum. Whenever I visit it, I remember many of the computers that were part of my childhood and that sparked my curiosity about technology from a very young age.

These memories inevitably transport me to very happy moments spent with my father, also a computer scientist by profession. It was through him that I had my first contact with many of these devices, spending hours exploring computers, discovering programs, and understanding, even as a child, the fascination that existed behind computing.

Today, looking at these same pieces of equipment on display in the Computer Science Department, I see not just historical artifacts. I see a part of my own history and the experiences that contributed to awakening the passion I continue to nurture for Computer Science, scientific research, and technological innovation.

It is precisely this ability to preserve the past while inspiring new generations that makes this exhibition so special. More than celebrating fifty years of teaching and research, it reminds us that technological evolution is made of people, stories, and moments that ultimately shape vocations and life paths.

It’s a privilege to be a part of this story.

Participating in this inaugural session was also an opportunity to reflect on the privilege of being part of an institution that has played such a significant role in the evolution of Computer Science in Portugal.

As a researcher and lecturer, I feel immense pride in developing my academic career in a community that has always valued excellence, innovation, international collaboration, and connection to society.

The fifty years of the Department of Computer Science represent much more than a historical date. They represent five decades of knowledge, research, entrepreneurship, and impact on society, built by thousands of students, lecturers, researchers, and technicians who have contributed to making the University of Minho a national and international reference in Computer Engineering.

Congratulations to the Department of Computer Science of the School of Engineering at the University of Minho for this extraordinary milestone. May the next fifty years continue to be synonymous with innovation, scientific research, and excellence in education.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.