The urgent need for student accommodation, the urgency of increasing the number of places available at Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa), namely the courses with the highest admission averages, and the reduced State funding for higher education, were some of the concerns expressed by professor Luís Ferreira, the new Rector of ULisboa, at the Inauguration Ceremony held this Tuesday, October 12, which also included the swearing-in ceremony of the Rector’s team and the opening of the 2021/2022 academic year.
Professor Luís Ferreira expressed his gratitude to his predecessor: “Holder of a vast and solid knowledge, with an enormous sense of justice, a firm and cordial person who knows how to generate consensus, mobilize the academic community, sensitize political power and society, and thus implement this ambitious project: to be a stronger and more cohesive university”, he said.
“It is a pleasure, but also an honour to be here with you today. I hope to find the best solutions to the present and future problems. I hope that ULisboa will be increasingly important nationally and internationally”, said professor Luís Ferreira.
The new Rector gave the new students a warm welcome: “We will do everything we can to make your dreams come true. Persistence makes dreams come true, and leads to successful scientific discoveries and inventions. Persistence and tenacity are the most important skills of good students and good researchers”.
“The autonomy of our 12 schools guarantees more flexibility, agility and, at the same time, encourages the sharing of good practices and projects. ULisboa will be as stronger as its schools, sharing the same goals”, said the new rector.
The new Rector stressed that ULisboa will continue to encourage lifelong learning and ensure the best conditions and career prospects for all who study and work at the University. “We will not stand still whenever we feel restricted by political powers or any other interests beyond our mission. We will fight for a State funding that respect our autonomy and our importance to the future of Portugal; for more modern and ambitious laws and statutes; for the end of precarious employment of ULisboa professors, researchers and staff”.
As usual, the opening session of the academic year, included the participation of João Machado, student representative, Dr. Alexandre Miguel Gonçalves, administrative and technical staff representative, and professor Joana Matos Frias, faculty/researchers representative.
The Rector’s team is composed of 4 Técnico professors: Luís Castro (Vice-Rector), Vítor Leitão (Vice-Rector), Henrique Oliveira (Pro-Rector), and Eduardo Pereira (Pro-Rector), and also professors Cecília Rodrigues (Vice-Rector), João Alfredo Peixoto (Vice-Rector), Maria Dulce Domingos (Vice-Rector); Ana Marques (Vice-Rector), António Feijó (Pro-Rector) and Maria José Chambel (Pro-Rector).
