CogBooster is an ERA Chair project designed to strengthen excellence in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra (FPCE-UC) and to contribute to reducing the research and innovation gap between widening and non-widening European countries. The project addresses a long-standing structural challenge in Psychological Science: the limited integration of Cognitive Neuroscience within research, education, and institutional structures in many European contexts, including Portugal. The project is built around the scientific leadership of the ERA Chair Holder, Professor Alfonso Caramazza, one of the world's leading cognitive neuroscientists, whose expertise has guided the development of a long-term institutional reform strategy. This strategy aims to establish Cognitive Neuroscience as a central pillar of Psychological Science at the University of Coimbra by creating a sustainable and internationally competitive research ecosystem grounded in mechanistic and neuroscientific approaches to understanding the mind. To achieve this objective, CogBooster combines scientific excellence, talent attraction, infrastructure development, educational innovation, and societal engagement. The project supports the recruitment of internationally recognized researchers, the establishment of new research laboratories, the development of advanced training programs, and the creation of opportunities for international collaboration and mobility. At the same time, it promotes a cultural shift in how Psychology is understood and taught, emphasizing the importance of fundamental research, mental representations, computational approaches, and brain-based explanations of cognition. A key feature of CogBooster is its strongly interdisciplinary nature. The project integrates perspectives from Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, and related disciplines to address fundamental questions about human cognition and behavior. This interdisciplinary framework is reflected in both the research programs developed under the project and the new educational initiatives being implemented at the University of Coimbra. The expected impact of CogBooster extends beyond scientific output. At the institutional level, the project aims to establish a permanent and internationally visible Cognitive Neuroscience ecosystem capable of attracting talent, securing competitive funding, and sustaining excellence beyond the duration of the ERA Chair funding. At the educational level, it seeks to transform undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral training by embedding Cognitive Neuroscience within all levels of Psychology education. At the societal level, the project promotes scientific literacy and public engagement while contributing to evidence-based discussions about the mind, behavior, education, health, and society. Through these combined efforts, CogBooster is contributing to the modernization of Psychological Science in Portugal and strengthening the position of the University of Coimbra as an internationally recognized center for Cognitive Neuroscience research, education, and innovation.
