Agroforestry (AF) 
AF – biofortification, phytoremediation, production and transformation of food raw materials (PI: Prof. Fernando Reboredo, FCT-NOVA)

Georesources, Geotechnics and Geomaterials (3G) 
3G – geological and geotechnical mapping, modelling and geostatistics, prospection, exploitation and processing of geomaterials, risk analysis (Coordinator at FCT-NOVA: Prof. José António Almeida; Coordinator at Aveiro University: Prof. Fernando Rocha)

Sedimentary Basins and Palaeontology (SBP) 
SBP – sedimentary geology, tectonics, palaeontology, biostratigraphy, evolution, global changes, geoheritage (PI: Prof. Octávio Mateus, FCT-NOVA)