The Portuguese Footwear Association (APICCAPS) and the Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre (CTCP) joined forces to create an immersive experience targeted to footwear and fashion designers, technicians and entrepreneurs. This initiative offers participants the possibility to immerse into a diverse manufacturing reality and benefit from a direct contact with an industry with decades of heritage in shoe manufacturing and more than 40 thousand workers.
 
Two different but complementary initiatives will be available:
- From the 28^th June to the 3^rd July, a week dedicated to factory visits. These visits will be oriented to companies with different manufacturing techniques and monitored by a mentor who will explain the advantages and inconvenient of each method used.
- From the 4^th of July to the 26^th July, a summer course will take place and during three weeks' time will be shared between factory visits, workshops, cultural and recreation activities in different locations in Portugal. During this period the program will be organized for participants to have the opportunity to share experiences and ideas with their peers and footwear specialists, with the final objective of developing a shoe prototype.

"After having organized, in 2018, the UITIC Congress in Portugal, we felt that there was a great desire from international companies to know the reality of the Portuguese footwear industry, which is why we decided to develop these two initiatives", commented Luís Onofre, President of APICCAPS.

 high-quality summer programme taking place in a set of interesting places, providing wonderful experiences, the ability of engaging with renowned speakers and the opportunity to be immersed into an authentic shoe manufacturing environment.

All information about the Immersive Experience, including a programme with the scheduled activities, is available in the official website: www.immersiveexperience.pt