Terra em Foco 2026 opens call for submissions
The third edition of the Earth Observation National Conference – Terra em Foco will take place in March 2026, in Coimbra. The agenda will focus on the use of satellite data for decision-making. The event is supported by several local institutions.
Next year, Coimbra will be the meeting point for the national Earth Observation community. On March 17th and 18th, 2026, the city will host the third edition of Terra em Foco, the national Earth Observation conference, organised by the Portuguese Space Agency. The event is supported by the University of Coimbra (UC), the Competence Centre for Geospatial Information (CGEO) of the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) of the Coimbra Region, and the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN).
The period for submissions (oral presentations and posters), workshops, and stands is now open, and applications can be submitted through the event’s official page, where you can find more information about the conference.
The agenda for the next edition of Terra em Foco will encompass a broad range of topics, with a focus on the application of satellite data in informed decision-making. “We know that Earth Observation can contribute to solving everyday problems, in emergency or resource management, but the truth is that it can also support the implementation of directives, or help optimise the operations of companies and institutions,” explains Carolina Sá, Earth Observation Programme Manager at the Agency.
“The sessions being planned will reflect examples of how to move from observation to action, through concrete examples, and support national institutions in adopting these solutions in an integrated way”, she adds.
On this note, Vasco Mantas, Director of the Earth Observation Laboratory at the University of Coimbra, says that the event “is a unique chance to combine scientific excellence with the real challenges we face at both national and European level”. As for Cidália Fonte, Professor at the University of Coimbra, the Terra em Foco conference will be an “excellent opportunity” to promote “interdisciplinary cooperation, innovation, and the creation of solutions for the challenges of our planet’s sustainability”.
For Jorge Brito, Executive Secretary of the CIM of the Coimbra Region, the entity that heads CGEO, holding Terra em Foco in Coimbra reinforces the “strategic role of the region in the area of geoinformation and the development of solutions”, both locally and globally. “CGEO’s mission is to bring geospatial data closer to the territories, supporting more effective and sustainable decisions, especially in areas such as urban growth, agricultural management, and rural fire risk,” he emphasises.
Jorge Pimenta, Director of Innovation at the IPN, sees this conference as a platform for “science, technology, and the market to come together,” which represents an opportunity for startups and companies that want to develop “new opportunities based on geospatial data.”
The 2026 edition of Terra em Foco also has its sights set on internationalisation, especially through the presence of speakers from foreign institutions, companies, and research centres. “We believe that the national community can benefit from interactions with different speakers, and it is essential to bring an international perspective to the conference. Our main goal is always to encourage knowledge sharing,” says Carolina Sá.
The agenda for the next Terra em Foco will consist of the usual plenary sessions, which include the presentation of scientific papers by researchers and students, as well as the exhibition of new products and technologies developed by companies, various workshops, and practical sessions.
As was the case with the 2024 edition, prizes will be awarded to students with the best oral presentation and the best poster presentation. The Terra em Foco 2026 award will be given to a person, group, or project with significant contributions to the Earth Observation sector in Portugal. The deadline for submitting applications for the award will be announced shortly.
