Economist. PhD in Economics – Knowledge and Innovation (University of Coimbra), MSc in Regional Economics and Local Development (University of Algarve). Currently the coordinator of the Research Group on Economy, Science and Society (NECES) at CES – Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra. He was invited Assistant Professor and Project manager in several Higher Education and R&D institutions in Portugal. In 2010, Hugo Pinto was visiting scholar at Institute for Advanced Social Studies of CSIC (Cordoba, Spain). His main research interests are innovation systems, university-industry linkages, regional resilience, transformative social innovation, and smart specialisation strategies.

Sociology PhDc, University of Algarve, thesis: Sustainable Communities as Laboratories for Social Innovation: Analysis of Models and Experiences for a Sustainable Transition.

Sociology PhDc, University of Coimbra, thesis: Academic Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation:
An Approach to Economic Sociology to Contexts, Ecosystems and Entrepreneurial Dynamics in Portugal.

Master in Economics – specialisation in Growth and Structural Policies (University of Coimbra)

Sociology PhDc, University of Algarve