Conference “Universities Shaping the Future: Building Resilient Societies through Innovation and Global Impact”

On 21 and 22 October 2025, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in Kaunas, Lithuania will host the Strategic Policy Conference “Universities Shaping the Future: Building Resilient Societies through Innovation and Global Impact”, marking the conclusion of VMU’s presidency of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Alliance.

As part of Transform4Europe Week, the conference brings together academic leaders, experts, students, and institutional representatives from across Europe, as well as policymakers, international partners, and other key stakeholders. The event aims to foster discussion on the role of universities in building more resilient, innovative, and globally connected societies.

Over two days, central themes will include the shift from reactive crisis management to proactive resilience, cooperation between governments, the private sector, and citizens, the strengthening of relations between NATO and the European Union, and the emerging challenges posed by democratic, social, and technological transformations. The conference will culminate in the development of a Policy Paper on Resilience Competency, summarising the main conclusions and recommendations arising from the discussions.

Universidade Católica Portuguesa will be represented by two faculty members: Patrícia Oliveira e Silva, Director of the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory, who will participate in the session “Individual Resilience: Preparing Minds for an Unpredictable World”, focused on individual resilience and psychological well-being; and Francisco Mendes-Palma, Director of the Transform4Europe Office at UCP, who will moderate the session “From Local Roots to Global Reach: Higher Education and Societal Renewal”, centred on the role of higher education in social renewal and the global reach of universities.

You can watch the conference HERE .