In the beginning of 2007, INESC Porto adopted a new organisational model with the intention of broadening the institution’s scope as an Associated Laboratory. The new model for network growth introduced by INESC Porto enables a scientific consolidation while welcoming new groups that manage to maintain their administrative autonomy. As a consequence, it will be possible to broaden the institution’s competences and its ability to meet the demands that larger-scale projects entail.

INESC Porto LA includes three autonomous groups:

LIAAD – Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Aid
Its activity is focused on decision support systems, with special emphasis to data mining techniques, forecasting, adaptive modeling and optimization, with applications in marketing, finances, process scheduling, health, text information retrieval, and many other areas.
Manager: Pavel Brazdil
http://www.liaad.up.pt

CRACS – Center for Research in Advanced Computing Systems
Its activity is developed in the fields of programming language, parallel and distributed computing, data mining, software smart systems and architecting, with emphasis on the resolution of specific problems in fields of multi-disciplinary collaboration, such as Biology, Medicine and Chemistry.
Manager: Fernando Silva
http://www.dcc.fc.up.pt/cracs 

UGEI– Industrial Management and Engineering Unit
This group works on the border between Engineering, Management and Social Sciences, aiming at identifying processes, techniques and indicators of efficiency in institutions. The strategy of the unit is based on a ‘problem-driven research’ concept, which requires the development of solutions that are adjusted to the needs of each company/institution.
Manager: José Sarsfield Cabral