Nova SBE received an International Award for Innovation in Communication for being the first Portuguese school to set up and organize an event in the Metaverse. The presentation of the research agenda for 2023 in the digital space MetaDEL came third in the evaluation by the jury and peers of the European Association of Communication Professionals and Higher Education Institutions (EUPRIO).

"We are a reference in Portugal, Europe, and the world. This bet on the Metaverse is a natural step in our journey. We are always on the side of the future, counting on the support of all the journalists who participated in this unique experience. The next editions of the Press Preview will always be original and with the already recognized quality of our school," says Pedro Oliveira, dean of Nova SBE.

The 2023 Nova SBE Press Preview event, held in February, was designed to provide an immersive digital experience for all participants. Journalists and researchers were welcomed by the then newly elected Dean, Pedro Oliveira, who hosted this pioneering moment in Portuguese academia, which marked his debut at official events.

The meeting between journalists and researchers occurred in a virtual room, a replica of the Nova SBE Digital Experience Lab at the Carcavelos Campus. In addition to all the decoration, those who had the privilege of entering this pioneering digital adventure could even go to the window and enjoy a magnificent view of the São Julião da Barra Fort, with the Atlantic Ocean as the horizon, only possible with virtual reality glasses, an avatar for each of the participants and some dexterity with the controllers to guide the digital 'alter ego'.

The 2023 Nova SBE Press Preview was the Portuguese academy's first step into the Metaverse.

The prize awarded by EUPRIO is the result of the work and commitment of more than 70 volunteers and journalists who built an event that marks a new era in research communication in Portugal and the world.