First ChIRS edition officially opens at the University of Algarve

The first edition of the Joint Master in Chemical Innovation and Regulation for Sustainability (ChIRS) officially began on 1 October 2026 at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Algarve, on the Gambelas Campus.

Coordinated by the University of Algarve (UAlg), ChIRS is jointly delivered with the University of Barcelona (UB), the University of Bologna (UniBo), the University of Gdańsk (UG) and the University of Lisbon (ULisboa).

An international opening session

The opening session was attended by Professor Ana Rosa Costa, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy; Professor Carlos Guerrero, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology; and Professor Maria de Lurdes Cristiano, President of the Faculty’s Scientific Council.

Programme directors from the partner universities and several alumni joined the session online, reflecting the international and collaborative character of the programme.

The University of Algarve’s International Relations and Mobility Office provided an institutional induction for the new students. ChIRS Coordinator Isabel Cavaco then introduced the programme, its organisation and its main features.

From ChIR to ChIRS

ChIRS builds on the experience of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Chemical Innovation and Regulation (ChIR), established in 2012 and recognised twice with the Erasmus Mundus label of excellence.

The new programme maintains the joint and international model developed through ChIR, bringing together students and academic staff from different countries and offering mobility between the consortium universities. ChIRS also strengthens the role of sustainability in education and training related to chemical innovation and regulation.

A new phase for the consortium

The 2026–2028 edition marks the start of ChIRS as a self-sustaining joint programme independent of direct European funding.

The five consortium universities are continuing their long-standing collaboration and shared commitment to educating professionals in safe and sustainable chemical innovation.

Further information about ChIRS is available at https://www.emmcchir.org/about.

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