Ana Margarida Silva, a researcher at the Centro de Estudos Interculturais (CEI) at ISCAP-P.PORTO and an alumna of the Master’s in Intercultural Studies for Business, took part in the final meeting of COST Action CA21125 – MARGISTAR, under the theme “Making MARGISTAR matter”, held in Málaga on April 14–15, 2026.
The meeting brought together international researchers to discuss the future of the MARGISTAR network, with a focus on generating knowledge applicable to remote rural territories and mountain regions across Europe. Through scenario planning exercises, participants explored possible futures for these regions, contributing to the preparation of the Final Report and policy recommendations. The programme also included a field visit to the Municipality of El Borge, offering direct insight into the socio-cultural dynamics of rural Andalusia.
Following her involvement in MARGISTAR, Ana Margarida Silva has also recently published the scientific article “Climate change and Mediterranean mountain livelihoods: insights from multi-stakeholder fuzzy cognitive mapping in Portuguese highlands” in the journal Sustainability Science (impact factor 5.3, 2024). Co-authored with Elena Todorova (Forest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) and Antonio Monteiro (Centro de Estudos Geográficos, Laboratório Associado TERRA, Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território), the study examines the impacts of climate change on livelihoods in Mediterranean mountain areas, with a particular focus on Serra da Estrela.
This work highlights the importance of international scientific collaboration in addressing complex challenges and advancing sustainable solutions for vulnerable territories.
🔗 The article is available here (PDF download required): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11625-026-01838-4