Remote-first
Develop your project from where you are, around study, work and personal commitments.
SINCE 2005. FROM BRUSSELS TO PORTO.
OPEN
STAGE
Digital Health Talent Programme
A flexible mentored research programme for the next generation of Medicine & Technology.
Build a real Digital Health project with a tutor, develop it from where you are, and finalise it online or during an intensive week in Porto.
8–12 weeksrecommended project period
€490Digital pathway
€980Porto pathway
SPRING 2027 COHORT
Porto Week · 14–20 March
12 planned residential places. Applications open now.
Why open?
International experience without months of relocation.
OPEN STAGE is remote-first, project-based and flexible by design. You work on a mentored applied research project, supported by live sessions and targeted resources. Porto is an opportunity, not a prerequisite.
Mentored
Work with a dedicated tutor and structured project clinics rather than simply attending classes.
Optional mobility
Complete the programme online or join a scheduled intensive residential week in Porto.
Visible output
Present your work and take it through an internal quality process toward a project publication.
How it works
LEARN · RESEARCH · DEVELOP · PUBLISH
One project, four stages, your pace.
1 · OPEN
Apply and define your project
Your profile is assessed and matched with a thematic track, an applied research topic and a tutor. Applications stay open all year.
2 · DEVELOP
Research with support
Work remotely through a recommended 8–12 week development period with mentoring, live sessions and selected resources.
3 · IMMERSION
Finalise online or in Porto
Move from research to final output through an intensive finalisation week, remotely or at the H2M2H Digital Twin Campus.
4 · PUBLISH
Make the work visible
Present the completed project and prepare a structured research/project publication through the programme quality gate.
Thematic tracks
Choose where Medicine meets Technology.
Topics are adapted to your background, tutor availability and project feasibility. Interdisciplinary profiles are especially welcome.
MedEduSynth
Synthetic Patients & AI for Medical Education
Digital Twins in Health
Healthcare, rehabilitation and personalised medicine.
AI & Biomedical Data
Data-driven methods, prediction and decision support.
Digital Rehabilitation
Technology-supported recovery and personalised pathways.
Wearables & Remote Monitoring
Sensors, patient-generated data and remote care.
Clinical Research & Digital Tools
Methods, evidence generation and research workflows.
Responsible AI in Healthcare
Validation, transparency, ethics and reliability.
Digital Health Innovation
New models, tools and translational project concepts.
Your Porto home
H2M2H Digital Twin Campus
The physical hub of OPEN STAGE in Porto: participant hospitality, meetings and conferences, and an international living lab.
- Participant hospitalityShort intensive stays connected to the programme.
- Meetings & conferencesWorkshops, seminars, project meetings and international encounters.
- International living labA place where people, research and digital technologies meet.
14–20 March 2027First Porto Week · Spring cohort
6 nightsHospitality and meals during the programme week
OPEN STAGE is organised by EUC Inovação Portugal, operating in Portugal since 2015. Porto is the point of convergence for the residential pathway, not a condition for participation.
Participation
Two pathways. One research experience.
Planned programme fees for the Spring 2027 cohort. Final admission conditions are supplied before payment is enabled. See the draft Terms & Conditions and Cancellation & Refund Policy.
OPEN STAGE DIGITAL
€490
The complete remote-first programme.
- Profile assessment and project matching
- Mentored applied research project
- Live sessions and recorded resources
- Online finalisation week
- Final presentation
- Publication preparation support
- Certificate of Completion
Research from anywhere.
Apply for DigitalPorto experience
OPEN STAGE PORTO
€980
Everything in Digital, plus the residential Porto Immersion Week.
- Sunday arrival, Saturday departure
- 6 nights of participant hospitality
- Meals during the programme week
- Face-to-face tutoring and project clinics
- Research & Publication Lab
- Campus workshops and facilities
- Final project presentation in Porto
Travel, visa, insurance and personal expenses are not included. Travel is booked independently by the participant; any mobility support follows the published Porto Mobility Scheme. A Digital participant can upgrade to Porto for €490, subject to residential availability.
Research from anywhere. Finalise it together in Porto.
Apply for PortoRolling open call
Applications stay open. Capacity does not.
Applications are reviewed continuously. Each cycle is deliberately limited by tutor capacity and, for Porto, by residential capacity. If your preferred Porto Week is full, you can stay on the Digital pathway or take the next available week.
30participants per cycle, at most
12planned residential Porto places per weekSubject to final Campus allocation, confirmed in your admission offer
14–20 MarSpring 2027 Porto Week
What you leave with
Not just attendance. A visible body of work.
Mentored project
An individual applied research project aligned with your selected track.
Final presentation
A structured presentation of the problem, method, results and implications.
Project publication
A research/project publication or monograph prepared through the programme quality process.
Certificate
An OPEN STAGE Certificate of Completion documenting the experience and output.
Selected high-quality projects may later evolve toward conference abstracts, preprints or journal submissions. External academic acceptance is never guaranteed. Authorship, ownership and AI-use rules are set out in the draft Publication & IP Policy.
2005BRUSSELS
Heritage
Since 2005. From Brussels to Porto.
The Open Stage concept was conceived in Brussels in 2005 by Valter Pagani as a flexible alternative to conventional long-term international traineeships, with independent documentation from 2006. Twenty years later, it is reimagined in Porto for Digital Health.
FAQ
Before you apply
Is OPEN STAGE a university internship?
No. OPEN STAGE is an independent mentored research and talent programme. It does not imply employment, remuneration or academic credit. Any university recognition or curricular equivalence requires a separate agreement with the relevant institution.
Do I have to move to Porto?
No. The complete Digital pathway can be completed remotely. Porto is optional and concentrated in one intensive finalisation week.
How long does the programme take?
The recommended project development period is 8–12 weeks, followed by the finalisation week. Timing is agreed with your tutor according to the project.
How many places are available?
Up to 30 participants may be admitted to each cycle. 12 residential places are planned for each Porto Immersion Week. Residential capacity is subject to final Campus allocation and is confirmed in the participant’s admission offer.
Is publication guaranteed?
The programme takes completed projects toward an OPEN STAGE research/project publication subject to an internal quality gate. External peer-reviewed publication is not guaranteed.
What language is the programme delivered in?
The programme operates primarily in English. Additional language support may be available depending on tutors and participants.
When are the live sessions?
Live sessions are scheduled in Central European Time and recorded for participants in other time zones.
Can I start Digital and decide about Porto later?
Yes, subject to residential availability. A Digital participant may request a Porto Week upgrade by paying the additional €490.
What happens if I cannot attend my Porto Week?
You can request one free deferral to the next suitable Porto Week (at least 30 days in advance) or convert to the Digital pathway at any time. Refund amounts depend on timing and are set out in the draft Cancellation & Refund Policy, which will be finalised before paid enrolment opens.
Are travel, visa and insurance included?
No. Travel is booked independently. Visa, travel insurance and personal expenses are not included. Non-EU participants attending the Porto Week receive an invitation letter to support a short-stay visa application. Any mobility contribution will be governed by the published Porto Mobility Scheme.
Who can apply?
Medical, health sciences, biomedical engineering, computer science, AI and data science students and graduates; young doctors, physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals; PhD candidates and early-career professionals. Participants must be 18 or older.
Next selection round
Tell us where you want to go.
Start with a short expression of interest. If there is a potential fit, you will be invited to complete the full application with CV, motivation and project preferences.
No application fee.Payment stays disabled until the final programme terms, privacy notice, refund policy and operational conditions are published.