The recognition of the vision and pioneering initiative evidenced by the creation of the Higher Professional Technical Course (CTESP) in Technologies for the Production and Processing of Cannabis sativa motivated the awarding of the CannaPortugal Global Cannabis Award 2026 to the Portalegre Polytechnic University, which, through its Elvas School of Biociences (ESBE), delivers this specialized higher education program, as announced in a statement.
According to the same source, the CannaPortugal Global Cannabis Awards, awarded within the framework of CannaPortugal – the principal international fair dedicated to hemp and cannabis in Portugal – distinguish excellence and innovation in the hemp and medicinal cannabis industries, recognizing individuals, companies, organizations, projects and countries that have made significant contributions to the advancement and understanding of cannabis. The prize will be presented on 17 October, in São Miguel (Azores) as part of the Transatlantic Celebration dedicated to industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis.
The awarding of this prize by an International Jury represents recognition of the work carried out at ESBE, by the team responsible for the creation of the course and more specifically by Prof. Doctor José Telo da Gama, the Coordinator of it.
In the communication issued, the International Confraternity of Cannabis Portugal states: “By creating a training specifically oriented to the technologies of production and processing of Cannabis sativa, the Portalegre Polytechnic Institute has taken a leading position, bringing higher education closer to the new scientific, agricultural, industrial and therapeutic realities associated with the plant. This is a decision that demonstrates the ability to anticipate needs and to prepare human resources for an area that demands increasing levels of qualification, rigor and responsibility.”
The nature of the course, eminently practical and applied, with 60% of the teaching load delivered directly in the production greenhouses of Cannabis sativa, is the result of the partnership with the company MHI Cultivo Medicinal S.A., a subsidiary of the Canadian pharmaceutical MediCane Health Incorporated.
With several spaces dedicated to the course strategically configured for various types of cultivation (greenhouse and indoor), propagation, processing and research, the aim is to ensure that students experience an immersive training aligned with the sector’s best practices, always in accordance with stringent safety and sustainability protocols, also offering the opportunity to participate in research projects with a direct impact on the global market.
