On International Volunteer Day, celebrated on 5 December, Universidade Católica Portuguesa celebrates the value of service to others as an essential part of its educational and social mission.

On each of its four campi, volunteering offers students, staff, lecturers and researchers the opportunity to contribute to a more just and caring society by actively participating in projects that respond to the needs of local communities.

During 2024, Universidade Católica had more than 1,200 volunteers, who dedicated more than 24,700 hours of service to national and international initiatives.

In Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Viseu, the VIDA – Volunteering at Católica, CASO – Católica Solidária, Voluntaria*Te and Ready to Help programmes promote initiatives covering areas such as poverty and social exclusion, support for migrants and refugees, education, health and sustainability. These programmes bring academia closer to the surrounding communities and, year after year, rely on a vast network of social partners who welcome and challenge Católica volunteers.

In 2024, this commitment was once again recognised with the award of the Volunteer Academy Quality Seal from CASES – Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social (António Sérgio Cooperative for Social Economy), a distinction that highlighted Católica among the 16 institutions awarded, as it was one of three to receive the Distinction of Merit.

On this day, Católica emphasises the transformative value of volunteering, recognising the impact of the actions carried out and reinforcing the invitation to the entire academic community to participate in UCP's volunteering programmes and make an active commitment to a more supportive, inclusive and humane society.