Can Biomedical Engineering Graduates Get a 12-Month AI and Healthcare Research Studentship in Portugal?
If you have a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering or a related field and want to work where AI, healthcare systems, sustainability and decision science meet, I would take a close look at this new research studentship at Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal.
The position is part of the EN-VISION project, which is developing better ways for hospitals to evaluate environmental-sustainability initiatives. The successful researcher will spend 12 months in Lisbon, working with hospital partners and helping build an AI-supported decision system.
IST Portugal Research Studentship: Quick Facts
| Studentship Details | Details |
|---|---|
| Institution | IST-ID / Instituto Superior Técnico |
| Country | Portugal |
| Project | EN-VISION |
| Positions | 1 |
| Research Area | Biomedical Engineering, Healthcare Systems, Decision Science, AI |
| Minimum Qualification | Master’s degree |
| Required Enrolment | PhD or eligible non-degree course |
| Duration | 12 months |
| Renewable? | No |
| Expected Start | September 2026 |
| Selection | CV 60% + Interview 40% |
| Deadline | 31 August 2026 |
Who Can Actually Apply?
This opportunity has more specific eligibility rules than the title may suggest. You should have completed a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering or a related field and be enrolled in either:
- a PhD programme, or
- an eligible non-degree course in Engineering and Management or a related area.
You should also have academic knowledge of healthcare systems and decision-support models, plus research or professional experience in a healthcare setting. For me, that final requirement is important. A strong engineering degree alone may not be enough if your CV shows no connection with hospitals, healthcare management or health-related research.
What Will You Actually Work On?
The EN-VISION project is trying to answer a very practical question: How can hospitals make better decisions about environmental sustainability when several competing factors have to be considered at once?
Your work will include designing questionnaires for collaborative decision-making processes and developing a group decision-support system using AI tools.
The system will help analyse and aggregate participants’ judgments, turn qualitative opinions into quantitative scales, visualize differences between groups and examine how AI can support decision-making. You will then help apply these tools to real case studies involving the project’s partner hospitals and contribute to a report and an international scientific publication.
So this is not a conventional coding-only AI position. It combines technology with human decision-making, healthcare management and sustainability.
What Is MACBETH and Do You Need Experience With It?
The project specifically refers to MACBETH judgments, a multi-criteria decision-analysis approach used to compare options through qualitative judgments and convert those preferences into quantitative scales.
The call does not explicitly say that prior MACBETH experience is mandatory.
However, if you already have experience with multi-criteria decision analysis, operations research, decision-support systems, healthcare evaluation or AI-supported decision tools, I would highlight it prominently.
How Will Candidates Be Selected?
Your application documents matter because curriculum evaluation carries 60% of the final score. The remaining 40% comes from an individual interview.
That means the CV gets you into serious contention, but the interview can still change the ranking considerably. I would prepare to explain how your previous work connects with three elements of the project: healthcare, decision modelling and AI/data-supported analysis.
What Documents Do You Need?
Applications must include the B1 Fellowship Application Form, CV, academic degree certificate where applicable, proof of PhD or non-degree-course enrolment, and a motivation letter.
Submit the complete application by email to: [email protected]
The work will be carried out at the Centre for Management Studies of Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, under the supervision of Professor Mónica Duarte Correia de Oliveira.
How Much Is the Scholarship?
One point I would verify before applying: the supplied call does not state the monthly studentship amount. It confirms a 12-month research fellowship funded through the Portuguese FCT framework, but applicants should check the official IST-ID competition documents for the exact monthly allowance rather than assuming a standard figure.
Application Deadline
The last date to apply for the EN-VISION Research Studentship at IST-ID is 31 August 2026.
If your background combines biomedical engineering with healthcare systems, decision analysis or AI, I would make the motivation letter very project-specific. Explain how you can help hospitals make better sustainability decisions—not merely why you want to conduct research in Portugal.