Ricardo Paes Mamede has a PhD in Economics from Bocconi University (Italy) and a Master’s in Economics and Management of Science and Technology from ISEG/University of Lisbon. He is Assistant Professor of Political Economy at ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon, where he teaches since 1999 in the fields of European Integration, Economics of Innovation, and Competitiveness and Innovation Policy. In 2007/2008 he headed of Department of Economic Analysis and Forecasting at the Portuguese Ministry of the Economy and Innovation. From 2008 to 2014 he coordinated the Research and Evaluation Department at the NSRF Observatory, the government agency responsible for monitoring the use of EU structural funds in Portugal.