This novel program extends beyond a two-year master's degree and includes a one-year advanced studies course, and a multiple-year research activity, and a dissertation, in order to obtain the SES Doctor of Philosophy degree. The advanced studies course addresses core areas in energy systems within a multidisciplinary engineering systems framework, including engineering and economic domains, at the level of energy systems analysis and design. Selected students will be directly engaged in the MIT Portugal Program research projects with joint research supervision and prolonged stays at MIT.

 The research and education program will involve numerous departments and laboratories at MIT, in collaboration with several Portuguese universities, including the Technical University of Lisbon (Instituto Superior Técnico - IST and Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa - ISEG), the University of Porto (Faculty of Engineering - FEUP), the University of Lisbon (Faculty of Science), the University of Lisbon (Faculty of Science) and the University of Coimbra (Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Science and Technology).

As part of the research and educational activities, MIT will collaborate with Portuguese counterparts on the formation of a "Portuguese Energy Institute" that will bring together interested faculty and students from across Portugal to pursue focus area activities. The activities of the energy systems focus area will be overseen and coordinated by co-directors in Portugal and at MIT. Professors Paulo Ferrão (IST) and David Marks (MIT), are the co-directors in the energy area.

The courses offered for students in this focus area include:

a Diploma of Advanced Studies,

a Diploma of Advanced Training and

a Doctoral Program