The observational evidence for the acceleration of the universe demonstrates that canonical theories of cosmology and particle physics are incomplete, if not incorrect. Forthcoming astronomical facilities will carry out precision consistency tests of the standard paradigm and search for new physics beyond it. I will describe some of these next generation tests, focusing on the universality of nature's fundamental couplings and the characterization of the properties of dark energy, and I will discuss prospects for facilities of interest to the CAUP Dark Side team, specifically ESPRESSO, Euclid and the E-ELT.

Place: Physics Dept. Meeting Room, 2th floor, IST