NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH) has been recognised as a Topic Centre Organisation (TCO) by the European Environment Agency (EEA), a recognition that reinforces the School’s position in the production of scientific knowledge relevant to European environmental and health challenges.

This designation will enable NOVA NSPH to contribute to the work carried out by the European Environment Agency through the European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET), a European network that brings together knowledge, information and scientific expertise to support environmental monitoring and public policy development.

The integration of NOVA NSPH as a Topic Centre Organisation therefore represents an opportunity to put the School’s experience and knowledge at the service of European cooperation and the development of robust scientific evidence capable of supporting decisions that promote both environmental protection and population health.

The School’s participation builds on established expertise in areas such as Environmental and Occupational Health, more specifically in the assessment of exposure to chemical agents, human biomonitoring, risk assessment and the development of approaches that bring science and policy-making closer together.

“This recognition represents a very significant opportunity to strengthen NOVA NSPH’s contribution to the production of knowledge that supports decision-making at European level. Environmental challenges are having an increasingly evident impact on population health and require responses based on scientific evidence, cooperation between countries and an effective link between research and public policy,” highlights Susana Viegas, Professor at NOVA NSPH.

At a time when environmental changes, pollution and biodiversity loss are becoming increasingly important issues, this recognition also strengthens NOVA NSPH’s ability to contribute to an integrated approach to the environment and health, bringing research and public policy closer together.

The designation as a Topic Centre Organisation therefore reinforces NOVA NSPH’s commitment to the production and transfer of knowledge, strengthening the interface between science and public policy and promoting evidence-informed decisions, contributing to a more sustainable, healthier and, consequently, more resilient Europe.

A group of Public Health medical residents from the 2026 cohort of the Postgraduate Specialisation Course in Public Health (CESP), accompanied by Paulo Sousa, lecturer at NOVA NSPH and Deputy Director for Education, took part in a meeting dedicated to current and future Public Health challenges, as part of the Strategic Health Pact.

The meeting took place at Palácio da Cidadela, in Cascais, where the group was welcomed by Adalberto Campos Fernandes, coordinator of the Strategic Health Pact, an initiative promoted by the President of the Republic with the aim of contributing to a broad-ranging discussion on priorities and responses for the future of healthcare in Portugal.

The session provided an opportunity to discuss the contribution of Public Health to some of the major challenges currently facing the health system and society, in a context marked by an ageing population, an increase in chronic diseases and multimorbidity, persistent health inequalities, new mental health challenges, and the need to strengthen prevention, health promotion and the sustainability of the system.

As the Pact seeks to bring together different perspectives and areas of intervention, the residents’ participation also brought to the discussion the perspective of a new generation of Public Health professionals. This is particularly relevant at a time when there is a growing need to strengthen the ability to anticipate risks, address the determinants of health, and bridge the gap between knowledge, public policy and action on the ground.

Paulo Sousa, lecturer at NOVA NSPH, highlights:

It was particularly important to provide Public Health medical residents with this direct opportunity to engage with strategic thinking about the future of healthcare in Portugal. Public Health must necessarily be part of this discussion, not only because of its ability to identify and understand the major challenges affecting population health, but also because of the contribution it can make to developing more preventive, integrated, equitable and sustainable responses. For those currently training in this field, it is also an opportunity to take part from the outset in the forums where the future of the health system is being considered and shaped.

Participation in this meeting also reflects NOVA NSPH’s mission to bring education, scientific knowledge and decision-making closer together, creating opportunities for its students and professionals in training to engage with processes of reflection and public policy development.