MagIC - The Information Management Research Center at NOVA IMS, has received the “Excellent” rating in the latest evaluation conducted by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), the highest rating granted within the national research assessment framework.

This recognition highlights the scientific quality, relevance, and societal impact of the research carried out at MagIC. It also reinforces the center’s position among the leading research institutions in Portugal and enhances its visibility both nationally and internationally.

According to the FCT evaluation panel:

“The center has built an impressive track record of academic publications but also is an important contributor of solutions to real-world problems and is strongly engaged with the broader community in terms of knowledge transfer. In the application file as well as during the online and in-person presentations, the leadership of the unit showed a clear vision and determination for ambition and excellence that were most likely an important factor in explaining the past performance of the research team.”

Reflecting on this result, Professor Leonardo Vanneschi, Director of MagIC, commented: “This recognition firmly places MagIC and NOVA IMS among the leading research institutions in Portugal. I’ve had the honor and privilege of leading this journey, but this extraordinary result is the outcome of years of dedicated, passionate, and high-quality work carried out by the entire research team, from junior to senior researchers, the research management team and all the people working at the NOVA IMS services. All these persons have consistently shown quality, competence, initiative, and a strong sense of belonging.”

Building on this perspective, Professor Miguel de Castro Neto, Dean of NOVA IMS, emphasized the broader impact of this distinction:“This rating will have a direct impact on the national and international visibility of MagIC, as well as on the level of research funding the center will be able to secure - a key condition for continuing to invest in research of excellence.”

MagIC brings together a team of 120 researchers, working across two core scientific domains - Management and Data Science - each structured into four research lines. Over the past five years, MagIC has secured over €15 million in funding for 55 new research and capacity-building projects, consolidating its role in the national and international research landscape.

The excellence of MagIC’s academic output is also reflected in international rankings. In 2024, eight NOVA IMS faculty members were included in Stanford University’s Top 2% of the world’s most influential scientists list. In addition, two MagIC researchers were named in the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list, placing them among the Top 1% most cited worldwide.

This achievement marks a significant step in MagIC’s ongoing mission: to conduct research that combines academic rigour with real-world impact, supporting better decision-making through data, technology, and innovation.