UCP welcomes 470 participants from 36 countries for the T4EU Week
25–29 May 2026 | Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon
About
From 25 to 29 May, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa’s headquarters, in Lisbon will become the home of the Transform4Europe alliance, with 470 students, academics and experts from 36 countries and 16 universities joining the T4EU Week: “Community, Communities: Engage to Transform”.
During this week, Universidade Católica will become a global campus without borders, and Lisbon a meeting point for institutional, academic, cultural and human journeys.
“By organising this week and its various activities, Católica is making a distinctive contribution to building the T4EU community and the European Education Area, across all areas of the University,” emphasises the alliance’s director at Católica, Francisco Mendes-Palma.
During this period, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students from Católica and the other 10 universities in the alliance will participate in three immersive courses: Societal Transformation, Environmental Transformation and Digital Transformation, coordinated by Peter Hanenberg, Vice-Rector of Católica, João Cortez, Director of the Office of Research and Innovation at Católica, and Luís Barreto Xavier, professor at the Faculty of Law at Católica.
Alongside the seminars and working group meetings from the various universities, T4EU Week offers a diverse social and cultural programme, featuring opportunities for community bonding as well as musical and sporting activities.
On the first day, 25 May, the Peddy-papper “Entrepreneurial Workshop” will take participants on a tour of Lisbon, culminating at the S. Pedro de Alcântara miradouro. A concert by the Jazz Trio, a Biodanza session and a sunset reading party are some of the highlights of 26 May.
Throughout the week, the programme will also include the Festas de Santo António, a sports challenge, a mental health workshop on academic burnout entitled “Strategies to Regain Balance”, and an exhibition organised by the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Católica, marking the 40th anniversary of Portugal’s membership of the European Communities.
As part of T4EU Week, the Global Partnership Forum will take place on 27 May, providing a space for dialogue and cooperation under the theme “A Choreography for Transformative Knowledge”.
The Iron Brothers, Pedro and Miguel Ferreira Pinto, are today’s keynote speakers, is day will feature interventions by Isabel Capeloa Gil, President of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, a researcher at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Josphat Igadwa Mwasiagi, from Moi University in Kenya, Rachael Fahrenbach, from the College of Forestry at Oregon State University in the USA, Veronica Frisancho, Director at CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Gustavo Curcio, from the University of São Paulo, and Rectors from various universities within the alliance.
On 27 May, the workshop “Community, Communities – Inclusion in Practice” will also take place, challenging participants to discover concrete practices that promote more inclusive communities, institutions and spaces, through dialogue, exchange and collaboration.
On 28 May, the book “Community, Communities: Engage to Transform” will be launched at the Lisbon Book Fair.
Other highlights of the academic and cultural programme include an exclusive “Pecha Kucha” session for PhD students, which consists of a dynamic visual presentation format; a concert by the Católica Big Band, a group with students, lecturers, alumni and staff from the Universidade Católica; and a cultural tour of the campus, where participants will be able to view the various works on display.
