8th CARE Meeting discusses the future of research in a changing world

The 8th CARE Meeting: Research, Culture and Defence took place on 8 July at the headquarters of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon. This initiative brought together around 120 lecturers, researchers, and PhD and postdoctoral students to reflect on the contribution of scientific research to understanding and responding to current challenges.

Against a global backdrop marked by geopolitical tensions, cultural transformations and technological advances, the meeting focused on the relationship between research, culture and defence, exploring issues relating to academic responsibility, the preservation of cultural heritage and the role of scientific knowledge in promoting security, resilience and the fundamental values of contemporary societies.

The opening session featured a speech by Peter Hanenberg, Vice-Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, followed by the keynote address “The global challenge and the future of research”, delivered by Peter Lievens of KU Leuven.

Throughout the meeting, researchers from the Católica shared their perspectives and experiences on these topics, fostering an interdisciplinary debate on the role of higher education institutions in fostering ethical and socially relevant research.

Also worth highlighting were the round-table discussions on security and innovation, as well as a debate moderated by Isabel Capeloa Gil, featuring Peter Lievens, the Vice-Chancellor of Universidade Nova, Paulo Pereira, and researchers Elif Nur Fırat Karalar (Koç University, Istanbul) and Pedro Simas (CBR, UCP).

With this eighth edition, the CARE Meeting reaffirmed its role as a prime forum for dialogue and strategic reflection on research at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, promoting the exchange of ideas and the development of new perspectives for impactful and transformative science.