Students from six countries - Canada, Ecuador, France, India, Italy, and Liberia - began the International Master's program Vigne, Vin et Gestion du Terroir (Vintage) at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), a program focused on viticulture, enology, and wine management. The official reception took place at the university facilities with the presence of the Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Patrícia Poeta, the master's coordinator Etienne Neethling, Alfredo Aires (director of the Department of Agronomy), and Aureliano Malheiro, responsible for student support.
During the first semester, students will carry out practical internships on farms and wineries in renowned wine regions, including Douro, Dão, Alentejo, and Vinhos Verdes. This immersion will allow students to learn about different production models and follow all stages of the harvest, from grape picking to winemaking methods, combining theory and practice.
The International Vintage Master's program was created in 2002 as a collaborative effort between higher education institutions from various European countries, namely France, Spain, Italy, and Hungary, with UTAD being the only Portuguese university in this consortium. The program aims to train qualified professionals for a constantly evolving wine sector.
The arrival of these international students reinforces the cultural diversity of the campus and consolidates UTAD's reputation as a center of excellence in education and research in the field of viticulture and enology, highlighting the economic, cultural, and scientific importance of wine production in a territory recognized for its wine-making tradition.
