2019•05•14     Guimarães

The UNU-EGOV premises for 2020 before construction works started.

Back in 2014, when UNU-EGOV took its first steps and started operations, the premises of the Operating Unit were installed very close to the Historic Centre of Guimarães, which is a UNESCO World Heritage location since 2001.

Often referred to as the cradle of the Portuguese nationality, the history of Guimarães is closely associated with the creation of the national identity and language of Portugal. […] Founded in the 4th century, Guimarães became the first capital of Portugal in the 12th century. Its historic centre is an extremely well preserved and an authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town. – UNESCO World Heritage description of Guimarães Historic Centre

Located in Couros, which is the Portuguese word for leather, the work of UNU-EGOV is carried out in an urban area where tannery was manufactured over several centuries. Production has started here as early as the 10th century; as such, its history is intrinsically linked to the dawn of Portugal’s nationhood. [1] As part of the urban regeneration project aimed at transforming the old leather processing industry into a space for education, research and creativity, the Guimarães Municipality has now officially started the construction work of the future Operating Unit premises. When completed in early 2020, the new location of UNU-EGOV will offer more than 3 times the size of the current premises.

I am very thankful to the Guimarães Municipality for their efforts taken into starting this project. As UNU-EGOV has been steadily growing in the past years, it is important that we are able to accommodate all our staff and researchers in a way that allows them to perform at their best. The city of Guimarães has hosted and supported the Operating Unit since the very beginning, and this is another important step into strengthening that relationship for years to come. – Delfina Soares, Head of UNU-EGOV, on the new building

[1] Historic Centre of Guimarães and Couros Zone (extension), UNESCO World Heritage tentative list