The Prime Minister, António Costa, the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato, the Minister for Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, the Minister for Culture, Pedro Adão e Silva and two Secretaries of State took part in the official opening of the new Iscte Knowledge and Innovation on the 20th of November 2023.

The government officials were welcomed by Iscte's Rector, Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues, Vice-Rector Jorge Costa, and Vice-Rector Bernardo Miranda. The tour of the recently completed facilities commenced with a visit to the exhibition of the project. A ceremony took place in one of the auditoriums of the new building, attended by the Rector and the Prime Minister, who declared that a thousand more researchers would be permanently employed at the national level next month. António Costa highlighted that the country has increased the number of researchers by over four times in two decades, effectively overcoming the most significant of its deficiencies, the qualification deficit.

He noted that the Research and Development budget presently stands at 1.7% of GDP and must reach 3% to meet the targets proposed by the European Union.

While on a visit to Iscte Knowledge and Innovation, built with European funds, Prime Minister António Costa announced the upcoming inauguration of a new university residence in Lisbon to enhance access to higher education for all. Regarding Iscte, it was stated that the university currently has just over 70 available beds in its residences, but by 2026, Iscte will have over 700 places in these accommodation options.

Iscte Rector Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues delivered a speech in which she outlined the distinctive features of Iscte. We were the pioneering institution in offering courses and conducting research that are now common in other universities. These include business management, sociology, computer science for management, contemporary history, anthropology, social psychology, data science, public policy, and humanitarian action. Recently, through the Sintra School, we introduced a range of ten-degree programs and applied digital technologies that are entirely novel and previously unavailable in the country. According to Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues, Iscte has opened new avenues and focused on innovation within the relevant areas of work over 50 years. But what distinguishes Iscte as a university is the complete fulfilment of its mission in teaching, knowledge, and innovation through multidisciplinary collaborative work and openness to the social and territorial context in which it operates. This generates opportunities for teachers, researchers, and students, while sustainably achieving inclusion. Its distinctiveness also lies in its anticipation of the future.

The sustainable refurbishment of the former IMT headquarters has resulted in the new Iscte Knowledge and Innovation building located on 40 Avenida das Forças Armadas in Lisbon. The building, consisting of brick and wood, covers an area of 9,000 square meters and houses 8 research units, 13 laboratories, 9 observatories and multiple spaces designed for shared and collaborative work. This building offers endless possibilities and fuels the idea of "together we change the future".