The project, co-financed through Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), was unveiled by Rector Amílcar Falcão during a presentation in early October. He said the investment, scheduled to take place in 2026, would bring “a new sense of centrality” to the Polo II site, located near the Marrocos pine forest on Coimbra’s southern hillside, close to the Mondego River.

Polo II currently houses the Faculty of Science and Technology (FCTUC), the Interdisciplinary Research Institute, several engineering departments, including Civil, Electrical and Computer, Mechanical, and Chemical, along with student residences, a university canteen, and support services.

The redevelopment will cover three hectares and include a new sports complex featuring six covered padel courts, changing rooms, and a support facility with a bar. Landscaping improvements, new-generation parking areas without pavement (preserving existing trees), pedestrian paths, and multifunctional spaces are also part of the plan.

Architect Camilo Cortesão, one of the project’s designers, explained that the initiative aims to create open, sustainable spaces that encourage student interaction and outdoor life. Luís Godinho, deputy director of the FCTUC, added that the plan “gives students the opportunity to experience the campus in a new way” and represents a major step in enhancing the area’s value.

According to the rector, this marks the first stage in a broader redevelopment strategy for the entire 20-hectare Polo II, which was established in 1992.

Falcão also criticised the exclusion of Polo II from the route of the Mondego Metrobus system, despite the campus being used daily by around 6,000 students, teachers, and staff. Construction of the Factory Lab, a €3 million engineering training facility simulating real industrial conditions, is also expected to begin in 2026.