Located at the Azurém university campus (University of Minho) in Guimarães, the project “should be completed in September” of this year.

In a released statement, DST says it is “executing the construction of the Data Centre of the National Centre for Advanced Computing, a strategic infrastructure for the Portuguese scientific and technological ecosystem.”

“Promoted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the new data center was designed to house advanced computer equipment serving science, technology and innovation, including systems from the University of Minho, European and national supercomputers, as well as telecommunications equipment and support for the RCTS – Science, Technology and Society Network, responsible for interconnecting higher education institutions and research centers throughout the country,” explains dst.

Funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), within the framework of the Science Plus Digital investment, the project “represents a significant step in the modernisation of the national scientific infrastructure, reinforcing the computational processing capacity necessary for the development of advanced research”.

According to the company, the presence of this infrastructure could also strengthen Guimarães' international projection as a technological hub, attracting conferences, innovation events and initiatives related to the digital economy.

“In addition to its scientific and technological relevance, the new data centre should contribute to strengthening the region's digital and technological ecosystem, creating conditions for the establishment of technology companies and startups and boosting the creation of qualified jobs, particularly in the areas of network engineering, cybersecurity, systems management and specialised maintenance,” says DST.