International Conference 2026
Sustainability.
Innovation.
Measurable Impact.
Research, practice and shared perspectives. A look back at our fourth international event, in the Lisbon region and online.
October 2026
Riviera Hotel Carcavelos
Lisbon region · Onsite + online
October 2026
UNIDEMI · NOVA FCT, Caparica
Research and Development Unit for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ideas on stage.
People at the centre.
Together in Lisbon.
Connected online.
Speakers & Conference Team
International perspectives from research, industry and professional practice.
Dr. Sharareh Shahidi
Senior Lecturer, Taylor’s University
Dr. Sharareh Shahidi opened the conference and framed its focus on sustainability, innovation and measurable impact.
Dr. Radu Godina
Assistant Professor, NOVA University Lisbon
Professor Maria Huhmarniemi
Professor and Vice Dean, University of Lapland
Dr. Marco Bagheri
Adjunct Professor, IPAM Porto · Founder, Values Beyond Time
Diana Chacón
Founder & Managing Partner, Diana Chacón Consulting
Dr. Saeid Lotfian
Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
Maria del Mar Rojas
Engagement Manager, Europe, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Dr. Angela Tritto
Assistant Professor, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Dr. Jacqueline Kerr
Behaviour Change and Implementation Science Specialist, Real Change Partner
Professor Sarfraz Aslam
Professor and Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Education & Humanities, UNITAR International University
Eloi Guterres
Executive Advisor, Savigen
Dr. António José Monteiro de Oliveira
Adjunct Professor, ISCAP · Polytechnic of Porto & ISAG · European Business School
Behrooz Lotfian
Strategic Advisor, TheSustainImpact®
Research Presenters
Khalida Parveen
Associate Professor, Shandong Xiehe University
How Teachers’ Digital Competencies Support Sustainable Integration of Digital Technologies in the ClassroomRobert Read
Lecturer, King’s College London
Incorporating Education for Sustainability into the Construction Law CurriculumMuhammad Shafiq
Associate Professor, Shandong Xiehe University
Artificial Intelligence-Driven Life Cycle and Energy Optimization for Sustainable Manufacturing and Smart City InfrastructureZohaib Khan
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University
From Corporate Sustainability Strategy to Project Delivery: Developing and Validating a CS-BPM Framework for Specialist Engineering ProjectsDr. Vanda N. Veréb
Assistant Professor, Lusíada University, Porto
What Makes a Place Worth Living In? Mapping Rural Well-Being through Territorial Intelligence with BOLDERDr. Irma Imamović
Associate Professor of Marketing and Business, IPAM, Porto
Renewable Energy Transition and Carbon Emissions in the European Union: Panel Evidence on Renewable Energy Consumption
Professor Maria Huhmarniemi
Professor and Vice Dean, University of Lapland
Professor Maria Huhmarniemi is an artist, researcher and educator working across Arctic art, contemporary art, art-based research and cultural sustainability. Her work examines how creative and participatory practices can strengthen environmental awareness, community engagement and sustainability transformation, with particular attention to Arctic contexts and the relationship between art, place and society.
Dr. Radu Godina
Assistant Professor, NOVA University Lisbon
Digital Product Passports, Industrial Symbiosis and Circular Manufacturing
Dr. Radu Godina works across sustainable and digital manufacturing, industrial symbiosis, circular economy, life-cycle assessment and industrial engineering. His research examines how product-level data, resource efficiency and collaboration across manufacturing systems can support more traceable, resilient and circular forms of industrial development.
Dr. Jacqueline Kerr
Behaviour Change and Implementation Science Specialist, Real Change Partner
Behaviour Change, Implementation Science and the Human Side of Sustainability
Dr. Jacqueline Kerr has more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of behaviour change science, implementation science and sustainability practice. Her work helps sustainability teams identify the human and organisational barriers that prevent ambitious strategies, stakeholder commitments and successful pilot initiatives from becoming sustained action at scale.
Maria del Mar Rojas
Engagement Manager, Europe, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Catalysing Corporate Action through Science Based Targets
Maria del Mar Rojas is the Europe Engagement Manager for the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), where she supports European companies and sector initiatives in setting climate targets aligned with a 1.5°C pathway. She engages stakeholders to promote the work of SBTi and support the development and refinement of its standards, advancing ambitious corporate climate action and emissions reductions at scale. Her career spans international NGOs and the private sector, including sustainability roles connected to Google, the World Resources Institute and The Climate Group.
Dr. Saeid Lotfian
Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
Longer Life, Lower Footprint: Structural Integrity, Durability and Circularity in Offshore Renewable Energy Structures
Dr. Saeid Lotfian is a materials engineer specialising in advanced materials and structures for renewable energy and marine engineering. His work combines structural integrity, additive manufacturing, smart materials, predictive maintenance and circular lifecycle strategies to improve the durability, reliability and environmental performance of offshore renewable energy infrastructure.
Dr. Angela Tritto
Assistant Professor, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Downstreaming for Sustainable Development? Critical Minerals, Chinese Investment and Industrial Transformation in Indonesia
Dr. Angela Tritto researches how public, private and third-sector organisations influence sustainability and development outcomes, particularly in Southeast Asia. Her recent work addresses industrial transformation, the semiconductor sector and critical minerals, alongside the relationships between policy, investment and sustainable regional development.
Dr. Marco Bagheri
Adjunct Professor, IPAM Porto · Founder, Values Beyond Time
Panel Moderator
Dr. Marco Bagheri works across entrepreneurship, marketing strategy, brand credibility, startup development and responsible growth. At the conference, he will moderate two cross-disciplinary discussions connecting industrial transformation, markets, behaviour and measurable action.
Diana Chacón
Founder & Managing Partner, Diana Chacón Consulting
Responsible Finance, Regulation and Inclusive Markets
Diana Chacón works across financial consumer protection, regulation, financial inclusion and international development. Her experience includes market-conduct regulation within the U.S. Federal Reserve System and advisory work with governments and financial authorities across multiple regions.
Professor Sarfraz Aslam
Professor and Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Education & Humanities, UNITAR International University
Education for Sustainable Transformation: Digital Innovation, Research and Measurable Impact
Professor Sarfraz Aslam works across sustainability education, higher education, digital innovation, circular economy and transformative learning, with a focus on how education and universities can contribute to sustainable societal transformation.
Eloi Guterres
Executive Advisor, savigen
From Commitment to Measurable Action
Eloi Guterres is an executive advisor at savigen, a Lisbon-based boutique strategy advisory. His career spans financial services, technology, consulting and professional services across Europe and beyond.
View savigen ↗
Dr. António José Monteiro de Oliveira
Adjunct Professor, ISCAP · Polytechnic of Porto & ISAG · European Business School
From Commitment to Measurable Action
Dr. António José Monteiro de Oliveira is an academic, researcher and business strategist working across entrepreneurship, sustainability, digital business and organisational development. He is an Adjunct Professor at ISCAP, Polytechnic of Porto, and ISAG, European Business School, Director of the Higher Professional Course in Digital Business, Marketing and Fashion Commerce at ISCAP, and a researcher in intercultural, organisational and social studies. With a PhD in Economic Analysis and Business Strategy and professional credentials as both an economist and certified accountant, his work connects entrepreneurship, strategic management and sustainability across national and international projects.
Behrooz Lotfian
Strategic Advisor, TheSustainImpact®
Behrooz Lotfian is a positioning strategist with international experience across Europe, Asia and the United States, and a longstanding connection to the global RIES network. His work spans brand positioning, competitive differentiation and international business development. His published writing also explores industrial markets, sustainability and resource efficiency.
At TheSustainImpact®, he supports strategic development, bringing an industry perspective to how sustainability can inform enterprise positioning, competitive strategy and long-term value creation.
On the Lisbon coast.
Riviera Hotel Carcavelos hosted the main conference day on 15 October.
Riviera Hotel Carcavelos
A coastal setting for the conference sessions, research presentations and informal exchange.
Inside UNIDEMI.
Research in practice.
The Research and Development Unit for Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, at NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon.
From discussion
to discovery.
Our research visit on 16 October brought participants into UNIDEMI’s research environment at the Caparica Campus.
Explore the research visit ↗
Lisbon was part of the experience.
Beyond the sessions.
Into Lisbon.
Around the table.
Holiday Inn Lisbon
A welcome dinner to meet, reconnect and begin the conversation.
Lisbon, beyond the agenda.
Lisbon evening
Time together among the city’s streets, views and waterfront.
A different perspective.
Tagus River cruise
Out on the Tagus, with Lisbon along the horizon.
What shaped the conversations.
From Sustainability Ambition to Measurable Action
Sustainable Business, Markets and Industrial Transformation
Responsible Innovation, AI and Sustainable Transformation
Responsible Finance and Sustainable Markets
The programme, preserved.
Download programme (PDF)
Thursday
15 October 2026Main Conference Day · Onsite & Online
View agenda
Registration & Arrival
Participant arrival, registration and informal networking before the formal programme begins.
Shervin Hamedani
TheSustainImpact®, Portugal
Dr. Sharareh Shahidi
Senior Lecturer, Taylor’s University, Malaysia · Conference Chair
Sustainability, Innovation and Measurable ImpactDr. Radu Godina
Assistant Professor, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal
Digital Product Passports, Industrial Symbiosis and Circular ManufacturingDr. Saeid Lotfian
Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom
Longer Life, Lower Footprint: Structural Integrity, Durability and Circularity in Offshore Renewable Energy StructuresDr. Angela Tritto
Assistant Professor, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam
Downstreaming for Sustainable Development? Critical Minerals, Chinese Investment and Industrial Transformation in IndonesiaCoffee, Conversation & Connections
Professor Maria Huhmarniemi
Professor and Vice Dean, University of Lapland, Finland
Khalida Parveen
Associate Professor, Shandong Xiehe University, China
How Teachers’ Digital Competencies Support Sustainable Integration of Digital Technologies in the ClassroomRobert Read
Lecturer, King’s College London, United Kingdom
Incorporating Education for Sustainability into the Construction Law CurriculumProfessor Sarfraz Aslam
Professor and Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Education & Humanities, UNITAR International University, Malaysia
Education for Sustainable Transformation: Digital Innovation, Research and Measurable ImpactNetworking Lunch
Dedicated time for discussion, introductions and informal exchange.
Diana Chacón
Founder & Managing Partner, Diana Chacón Consulting, Portugal
Responsible Finance, Regulation & Inclusive MarketsMuhammad Shafiq
Associate Professor, Shandong Xiehe University, China
Artificial Intelligence-Driven Life Cycle and Energy Optimization for Sustainable Manufacturing and Smart City InfrastructureZohaib Khan
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom
From Corporate Sustainability Strategy to Project Delivery: Developing and Validating a CS-BPM Framework for Specialist Engineering ProjectsDr. Vanda N. Veréb
Assistant Professor, Lusíada University, Porto, Portugal
What Makes a Place Worth Living In? Mapping Rural Well-Being through Territorial Intelligence with BOLDERDr. Irma Imamović
Associate Professor of Marketing and Business, IPAM, Porto, Portugal
Renewable Energy Transition and Carbon Emissions in the European Union: Panel Evidence on Renewable Energy ConsumptionAfternoon Coffee & Exchange
Dr. Jacqueline Kerr
Behaviour Change and Implementation Science Specialist, Real Change Partner, United States
Behaviour Change, Implementation Science and the Human Side of SustainabilityMaria del Mar Rojas
Engagement Manager, Europe, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Catalysing Corporate Action through Science Based TargetsDr. Marco Bagheri
Adjunct Professor, IPAM Porto, Portugal
From Commitment to Measurable Action
Moderated by Dr. Marco Bagheri
Closing Reflections & Next Steps
Shervin Hamedani · TheSustainImpact®, Portugal
Research & Innovation Visit · NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon · Caparica
A focused visit connecting conference participants with research environments, applied innovation and opportunities for exchange at NOVA FCT. Explore photographs from the visit in the NOVA FCT section.
Ideas with a life beyond the event.
Proceedings
Conference Proceedings Series
Open access conference-related outputs with stable publication pages and clear metadata.
ISSN 3051-7362Explore proceedings ↗Journal of Sustainable Innovation and Impact
Suitable extended papers may be considered through the journal’s editorial and peer-review process.
ISSN 3051-8083Explore the journal ↗
Sustainability · Indexed in ScopusCircular Systems, Digital Innovation and Green Skills for Sustainable Transformation
Guest Editors: Dr. Saeid Lotfian and Dr. Sharareh Shahidi.
Submission deadline: 30 September 2027View the Special Issue ↗Research.
Industry.
Shared possibilities.
For researchers, universities, companies, industry practitioners and organisations interested in future events.