The story behind this collaboration began several months earlier, when the two Vilnius Tech students took part in the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on optimisation applied to industrial challenges, organised by ESTG. The programme brought together students and academic staff from different countries to explore operational research and optimisation methodologies applied to real industrial problems.
It was this initial contact, established during the BIP, that set the process in motion. The enthusiasm generated among the students and the academic team meant that, within a remarkably short period of time, these internships at Combocal were organised and put into practice. What began as a short-term academic experience quickly evolved into an international internship opportunity, demonstrating how direct engagement between students, academics and businesses can generate meaningful partnerships with tangible outcomes.
The importance of International Partnerships
This case clearly illustrates the strategic value of international partnerships in higher education. Programmes such as the BIP are much more than opportunities to exchange scientific and technical knowledge. They also serve as bridges that bring together students from different countries, cultures and academic backgrounds, creating networks that, as this example demonstrates, can develop into genuine professional opportunities.
For ESTG, this type of collaboration reinforces the institution’s commitment to providing an international learning experience that prepares students for increasingly global and multicultural working environments, while also giving international students first-hand exposure to Portugal’s academic and business landscape.
These internships would not have been possible without the willingness and commitment of regional companies to host international students. By welcoming these two Vilnius Tech students into its industrial management department, Combocal demonstrates how the business community of Felgueiras and the surrounding region embraces internationalisation and is committed to investing in the practical training of talented young people, regardless of their country of origin.
Founded in 1985 in Sendim, Felgueiras, Combocal is a leading manufacturer of vulcanised rubber soles, supplying both the fashion footwear market and the technical and safety footwear sectors. With a daily production capacity of approximately 6,000 pairs of soles and a workforce of around 40 employees, the company has developed a strong focus on private-label manufacturing. It has also significantly increased its investment in research and development, particularly in the creation of sustainable biomaterials incorporating natural waste materials such as banana fibres, coffee husks and rice husks into its production processes.
It is within this environment of continuous innovation and close links to the footwear industry—one of the most significant economic sectors in the Felgueiras region—that the two Vilnius Tech students are carrying out their industrial management internship, implementing continuous improvement techniques across the company’s industrial processes.
The commitment shown by local businesses is essential to making initiatives such as this possible and reflects the strong relationship that ESTG has built with the regional business community over many years of collaboration.
ESTG will continue to strengthen its international partnerships and foster collaboration with regional companies, convinced that this type of synergy provides the best preparation for students to meet the challenges of an increasingly global labour market.
