Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) was represented at a high-level meeting hosted by His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic at the Palácio de Belém, José António Seguro, following an individual invitation addressed to our researcher Rafael Caldeirinha (IT/Politécnico de Leiria).
This meeting followed the President’s “Open Presidency” initiative in the Central Region of Portugal, which had been affected by recent severe weather events. In this context, the President convened more than two dozen experts across a wide range of fields, including energy, telecommunications, emergency communications, agriculture, forestry, wildfires, infrastructure, climate, sustainability, environment, landscape, biodiversity, and nature conservation.
Held on 16 April, the session provided an opportunity for the Head of State to engage with specialists from diverse sectors and hear their proposals to address current challenges. Through convergence, knowledge-sharing, and interdisciplinary dialogue, the meeting aimed to identify and outline strategies for the prevention of and response to future natural hazards.
Professor Caldeirinha delivered a technical contribution focused on resilient communications and post-disaster recovery. His intervention was grounded in independent academic research and extensive involvement in national studies on critical communications systems. He emphasised the importance of adopting an integrated approach to critical infrastructures, supported by a structured and continuous technical governance model.
Key priorities highlighted included:
During the session, Rafael Caldeirinha also proposed the development of a National Communications Resilience Model. This framework promotes a preventive approach based on continuous monitoring, technical auditing, and ongoing system improvement, while reinforcing the importance of systematic and independent academic participation in the design, validation, and evolution of such systems.
Professor Caldeirinha expressed his honour in contributing to this important discussion, drawing on knowledge developed over many years of research and collaboration. He also paid tribute to Carlos Salema, a mentor and long-time collaborator who passed away on 25 April, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of resilient communications.
This participation reinforces IT active role in supporting evidence-based policymaking, ensuring independent scientific scrutiny, and contributing technical expertise to national strategies for resilience and critical infrastructure.
Photo credit: Miguel Figueiredo Lopes/Presidência da República
See also the interview with Professor Carlos Salema: