By the end of 1979, the Decree-Law 513-T/79 defined the polytechnic higher education establishment’s network and the creation of the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (PV).

With the 40th anniversary Commemorations initiative (40 YEARS PV), which includes the publication of this issue of Millennium, the aim is (1) to increase the visibility of the Polytechnic of Viseu at local, national and international level, (2) fostering the connection of the old PV generations with the current generation, (3) celebrating the achievements, successes and history of the PV and each of its units, (4) encouraging collaborative initiatives with local entities and ( 5) to promote the discussion about the future of polytechnic education, PV in particular.

In addition to being a participant witness, critical observer, the Millennium magazine is the protagonist of one of the successes of the “40 Years of PV”. The systematicity and regularity, the evolution and dynamism, the reinvention and credibility of this publication, resulting from the commitment and work developed by the various editorial officers and respective teams of collaborators, resulted in the magazine's indexing and its national and international recognition.

Created in 1996, Millenium started out as an editorial project that aimed, above all, to disseminate and publicize institutionally and publicly the scientific production and research carried out at the Polytechnic of Viseu, giving it visibility and publicizing it, in a clear intention to “dignify and consolidate the institution and the quality of education”. But soon the magazine opens up, accepting external collaborations, both national and international. Maria de Jesus Fonseca wrote in the June editorial of the 2011 edition, “presently it is a magazine strongly implanted in the Portuguese-speaking world, especially in Brazil, and also in a process of increasing internationalization”⁽¹⁾.

And, as of the end of 2009, the magazine is “a privileged vehicle for the dissemination of scientific and academic works, publishing original articles resulting from scientific production and research, in diverse areas, with the aim of making public not only the production and research of the institution's faculty, but also that of external collaborators, national and foreign, who intend to cooperate and participate in this project”⁽²⁾.

Since then, “by promoting the diffusion of the different products of the scientific, pedagogical and technical research processes and by providing information sharing, critical discussion and debate of ideas, creating channels that bring science closer to the business/industry fabric and the communities”⁽³⁾, Millennium becomes a structuring element in fulfilling the mission of the Polytechnic of Viseu.

In this millennium, thinking about the future

We must underline the symbolism of this special edition of Millennium, within the scope of the “40 Years of PV”, when it was published “in a context in which the constraints existing in recent months have stimulated new practices and approaches, it is worth reflecting on the mere transposition face-to-face/distance and deepen and stimulate reflection on pedagogical innovation initiatives. In particular, ensuring innovative teaching/learning practices, expanding and deepening forms of learning and teaching based on projects, the integration of forms of self-learning and teamwork, always in an inclusive and non-discriminatory way” ⁴.

The discussion about the future of polytechnic higher education, which we proposed as one of the objectives of the “40 Years of PV”, suddenly became about the present.

The decision of the title of this magazine reflected a paradigm shift, the transition from a restricted Latin to an English globalizer. Now, towards 2030, with a path that started with the eight Millennium Goals, the commitment has grown also to

I hope that, within 40 years, whoever takes stock of the activity carried out will register an exponential growth in the relevance and meaning of the work developed.

IPV President

João Monney Paiva