The Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest technical-scientific areas of knowledge assuming a predominant role in the majority of the industrial activities. However, manufacturing and process industries over the world are facing unprecedented competitiveness challenges. Companies must provide new solutions and products at an ever-increasing rate, being flexible to meet changing market conditions as fast as possible. Moreover, it is fundamental to maximize productivity by reducing waste and energy consumption and by optimizing existing physical assets and human resources. The PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Aveiro aims to contribute to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and technological challenges in the Mechanical Engineering field.

The main objective of the PhD program in Engineering is to train highly qualified technicians and researchers, particularly specialized in Mechatronics or in Energy, who are able to carry out independent research or experimental work, in a corporate environment, as well as within the university context. The offer of a third Cycle in Mechatronics Engineering and Energy is the natural sequence of second Cycles, namely those offered by the University of Evora, MSc in Mechatronics Engineering and MSc in Solar Energy Engineering, and it results from the developed research at the University of Evora, particularly in the Research Centers evaluated by the FCT, where the cycle Professors are integrated as researchers, namely the ICT-Institute of Earth Sciences with its connection to the Renewable Energy Chair of the University of Evora and the LAETA-Associated Laboratory for Energy, Transports and Aeronautics. This PhD program provides advanced specialization areas, with a remarkable interdisciplinary potential in emerging fields, from product design engineering, instrumentation, automatic control and Process supervision, to the development of a range of technologies applied to Mechatronics engineering, energy efficiency in processes, energy capture, conversion and concentration.