Is the word iniciar the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the spelling and basic dictionary meaning of "iniciar" are identical in both dialects, there are differences in grammar and typical usage. In Brazilian Portuguese, "iniciar" is frequently used as an intransitive verb (e.g., "a aula iniciou" — the class started). In Continental Portuguese, the pronominal form "iniciou-se" is the grammatically standard way to express the same idea. Additionally, while "iniciar" is used in both regions, Portuguese people more naturally reach for synonyms like "começar" for general actions or "arrancar" for mechanical or technical processes.

Brazilian Portuguese examples:

1. O sistema vai iniciar o processo agora. (The system will start the process now.)
2. A aula iniciou muito tarde hoje. (The class started very late today.)
3. Vamos iniciar a reunião em cinco minutos. (We are going to start the meeting in five minutes.)
4. Ele decidiu iniciar um novo projeto de pesquisa. (He decided to start a new research project.)
5. O programa deve iniciar automaticamente após o boot. (The program should start automatically after booting.)

Continental Portuguese examples:

1. O sistema vai arrancar o processo agora. (The system is going to start the process now.)
2. A aula iniciou-se muito tarde hoje. (The class started very late today.)
3. Vamos começar a reunião em cinco minutos. (We are going to start the meeting in five minutes.)
4. Ele decidiu começar um novo projeto de investigação. (He decided to start a new research project.)
5. O programa deve arrancar automaticamente após o boot. (The program should start automatically after booting.)