Faculdade de Motricidade Humana

CIPER’s vision focuses on a paradigm shift recognizing human movement as pivotal for functioning across all life stages and contexts. CIPER’s research is conducted across key life stages (children, adolescents, adults, elderly) and addresses key aspects of human movement, focusing on:

1. Data Validity: Developing advanced methods to measure physical activity, sport, and related movement variables, integrating multiple reliable measures, and creating new variables for ecological and precise measurement.
2. Observations: Capturing goal-directed movement according to task environments, understanding facilitators and inhibitors, and identifying pathways of physical activity and sport behaviors for targeted interventions.
3. Modeling and Algorithm Selection: Using complex models and AI tools for better understanding functions, integrating measurements, informing interventions, and developing interactive tools for monitoring and personalized support.
4. Interventions: Designing and implementing tailored interventions for different population groups to improve functioning through modifications in physical activity and sport behaviors.

CIPER’s mission is to promote human functioning through sport and physical activity across the lifespan.

This mission focuses on:

1. Generating Internationally Impactful Knowledge: Producing cutting-edge research on human functionality, including developing measures, conducting experimental observations and interventions, constructing models, and refining algorithms to understand how physical activity and sport behaviors influence functioning throughout life.
2. Translating Research Outcomes: Applying research findings to health policies and practices for physical activity and sport, using tailored approaches for individuals and communities to maximize real-world impact and promote healthier lifestyles.
3. Empowering Interdisciplinary Research: Fostering collaboration across diverse fields converging to human functioning through sport and physical activity, from the start of research careers, cultivating advanced research capacities among young and mid-career investigators, and driving innovation in human kinetics.

The Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Human Performance (CIPER) is located at Faculty of Human Kinetics (FMH) at University of Lisbon with a pole at Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education (FCDEF) at University of Coimbra.

CIPER’s current strategic program is implemented through a scientific organization consisting of four specialized research groups. Each group possesses unique skills and fulfils specific roles aimed at advancing CIPER's interdisciplinary research with the objective of promoting functionality through physical activity and sport across all stages of life.

The operational organizational process is governed by a management structure outlined in CIPER's newly approved regulation:

Coordinator: serves as the overall coordinator and is responsible for: (i) monitoring project progress, coordinating work plans, and ensuring research group compliance with their obligations; (ii) administering funding contributions based on executive board consultation; (iii) fulfilling financial and technical reporting as per FCT requisites.

Executive Board: composed of the scientific coordinator, group leaders, and pole leaders, responsible for overseeing overall coordination. The executive board convenes monthly, while each research group will meet bi-monthly.

Scientific Board: comprising all PhD members, serves as the strategic decision-making body, convening at least every six months.

Research Groups: i) Skill Learning, ii) Exercise Precision, iii) Neuromuscular Biomechanics, and iv) Behavioral Regulation. Every integrated member and PhD student belong to one of these groups.

Advisory Board: Comprising eminent scientific figures, collaborates with and evaluates CIPER's research activities.

Duarte Araújo, PhD 

CIPER's activity plan, "Promoting Human Functioning through Physical Activity and Sport During the Life-Course," aligns with WHO's concept of human functioning, integrating biological and lived health to understand health comprehensively. Human kinetics, the focus of CIPER's research, explores human movement as a key component of human health. The interdisciplinary and technological nature of human kinetics allows for innovative approaches to address fundamental questions about the contribution of human movement to health functioning.

The plan aims to generate new knowledge with international impact on functioning through physical activity and sport behaviours, translating research outcomes into health policy and practice. Its interdisciplinary approach integrates various sub-disciplines of human movement science to develop improved measurement tools, experimental designs, and interventions. Over the next four years, the plan aims to promote a paradigm shift in understanding human movement as key to functioning across the lifespan.

Four research groups from CIPER will collaborate to develop knowledge on functioning through physical activity and sport, addressing various aspects of functioning across key life stages and transitions. Each of these groups is centred on one of the four scientific subdisciplines: biomechanics, exercise physiology, psychology of physical activity and motor learning. The four specialized research groups: are behavioural regulation, exercise precision, neuromuscular biomechanics, and skill learning. The plan prioritizes data validity, observational studies, modelling, algorithm selection, and tailored interventions. Crosstalk between research groups will facilitate interdisciplinary training, innovation, international collaboration, and advanced research capacity development.

The plan underscores CIPER's commitment to sustainability through responsible practices in data management and equipment usage. Ethical considerations are paramount, with strict adherence to legislation and international guidelines governing research involving human subjects and data protection. CIPER aims to foster collaboration among researchers, prioritize international partnerships, and promote sustainability in research practices. The centre seeks to empower both junior and senior researchers, engage decision-makers, and advance knowledge in sport and physical activity to enhance human functioning and well-being across all life stages.

CIPER aims to enhance interdisciplinary research resources and international collaboration, focusing on:

1. Expertise in advanced human movement measurement.
2. Expertise in intervention development and implementation.
3. Fostering research leadership among younger researchers.
4. Enhancing funding acquisition capabilities.
5. Communicating and disseminating scientific information effectively.
6. Developing PhD programs guided by the Human Kinetics framework.