“Eco-Mateus” is a program based on the culture-creativity-innovation and on the idea of the transition from an ego-system logic to an economic, social and cultural eco-system logic (Otto Scharmer and Kathrin Kaufer, 2013 ). A logic capable of helping to answer the fundamental challenges that result from the gradual and irreversible transformation of what was a condition of progress, at risk for man. The civilizational transformation that this transition supposes is of an order of magnitude similar to the technological and cultural transformations that underlie it and justifies the commitment of all to make the ongoing process as inclusive as possible. “Eco Mateus” is an initiative aimed at the specificities of the Douro and Trás-os-Montes regions, seeking to bring to the debate examples from all points of the planet, ideas and methodologies that contribute to increase awareness of the present time, that is, the capacity for anticipation and response of agents, entrepreneurs and organizations based there to the immediate problems and the unknowns that the future brings us.
“Eco Mateus” presents each year a conference by an international speaker, followed by a workshop during the summer; a mini-school of innovation, whose objective is to provide participants with increased capacities of perception and resolution of obstacles to the realization of problems or projects.
“Eco Mateus” can include initiatives throughout the year that contribute to the reflections that underlie it and can also intersect with other programs that partner entities develop. “Eco Mateus” is an initiative of UTAD and FCM and is carried out in partnership with international innovation specialists.
In 2018 the “Eco Mateus” program included:
the conference “Critical Distances: the growing chasms between man-machines, business societies” by Alfons Cornella, on May 10, 16:00, at UTAD’s Aula Magna.
the seminar “Douro 4.0 – contrasts and revolutions” on May 11 at Régia Douro Park, Mini Innovation School at Casa de Mateus, between 12th and 14th of July.
In 2019 the “Eco Mateus” program included:
The Mini Innovation School that took place between 29 and 31 May. Coordinated by Alfons Cornella, its theme was the creation and exploration of new business models for Tourism and Agri-Food.
On March 21, at the Aula Magna of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro – UTAD, the Conference “Radical # 6 – Reinventing Humans” was held, by Alfons Cornella, specialist in innovation at the Institute of Next ( Barcelona), which addressed the new technological and social trends, produced a portrait of the current moment on a global scale, identifying trends and risks, but also the possibilities contained in the transition to a technologically advanced and socially more just world.
As part of the Radical #6 Conference, he took the opportunity to launch the Portuguese translation of the latest work by Alfons Cornella: «Educating Humans in a World of Intelligent Machines», co-edited by the Casa de Mateus Foundation and the University of Trás-os- Montes and Alto Douro – UTAD.
In 2020, the “Eco Mateus” program included:
On May 6, in association with the Institute of Next in Barcelona, the Casa de Mateus Foundation invited for an online debate on the topic “Understanding New China”. This initiative anticipated the Alfons Cornella conference on the same theme, this time during Mini Innovation School, in a joint organization with the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto-Douro.
The Mini Innovation School that took place between the 6th and 8th of July. In this edition, Alfons Cornella addressed several questions: How to innovate in a world in accelerated transformation? What challenges has the new reality brought to the agricultural and food industries? What is the difference today, between what is normal and what is radical?
Click to visit the Mini School of Innovation main page in English
