Attracting talent will be fundamental to boosting the Algarve's economy. This is one of the main conclusions of the session “Talent Immigration: Case studies and good practices”, held at the University of Algarve (UAlg) last Friday, February 9th.
The session, organized by SEDES Algarve with support from the Canadian multinational Empowered Startups, included representatives from both institutions, as well as MEP Carlos Zorrinho and the rector of the University of Algarve Paulo Águas.
“Talent is a fundamental part of a region’s innovation policy,” said Christopher Lennon, president of Empowered Startups.
«Talent and business migration are fundamental tools to accelerate what happens in regions, taking into account their innovation policies», he continued. The work done by Empowered Startups «brings foreign direct investment to the Algarve, attracts highly qualified professionals and connects institutions like UAlg to the market».
«People can only like the Algarve», continued Paulo Neves, coordinator of SEDES Algarve.
«They can only like our way of being, welcoming, security, gastronomy and climate. As a humanist country that we are, we welcome with respect and do not look at who. That's what makes us stand out. We have 840 thousand people of average population present. What would the Algarve be without this critical mass and without those who came, brought investment, development, creativity and opportunities?», he asked.
The topic of attracting talent occupied the round table, with interventions by Carlos Zorrinho and Carlos Lobo, professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon.
«The attraction that the United States exerts on European talents is real», began the MEP. «We also have to think about how we, in Europe, can do this. We have an obligation to look at immigration policy from a positive and humanistic side. Portugal is attractive, has been improving and the factors that hinder this attraction have been identified, including “bureaucracy and remuneration”, he added.
Carlos Lobo defended the «attraction of talent as a critical aspect of the competitiveness of a country or a region».
«Portugal is getting older, but the world is getting younger. We have always been a country with open doors and a good example of attracting new citizens, with welcome and support. We have the necessary qualities to be an attractive country", he concluded, highlighting measures such as the non-habitual residents regime.
Carlos Baía, Councilor of the Chamber of Faro, reinforced the Algarve’s potential for this attraction.
«The region has a relatively low cost of living, has broadband, has an airport five minutes from the University, but it needs to diversify the economy and find ways and mechanisms to retain talent», he argued.
In the session, a partnership project between UAlg and the Carb Manager nutrition application was also presented, to promote the Mediterranean diet. Professor Maria Palma Mateus, responsible for the project, argued that the partnership shows «the versatility and ease of adapting the Mediterranean diet to today's times».
The partnership was carried out through Empowered Startups, which works with international entrepreneurs, businesspeople and investors who seek innovation partners in Portuguese universities and polytechnics. These professionals invest directly in scientific research projects like this one, at UAlg, to innovate in the products and services developed by their companies.
«Talent is the ability to do things, to exercise a certain profession. In a world of knowledge, high technology, we need talent associated with these dimensions», defended Paulo Águas, dean of UAlg, at the end of the session.
«The examples given here by Empowered Startups», of attracting qualified professionals, investment and new businesses, «help to change the paradigm», he concluded.
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