Causas Strategic Partnership in Research and Education

Maria da Graça Carvalho chaired a seminar on Education in the European Parliament. The meeting was organized by The Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP) and the European University Association (EUA).

The Portuguese Secretary of State of Higher Education, João Filipe Queiró participated in the seminar. Among the participants there were representatives of the CRUP, EUA, representatives from the European Comission, members of the European Parliament, and a member of the cabinet of the European Comissioner for Education Andreia Vassilou.

Maria da Graça Carvalho made the opening remarks. During her intervention, she stressed the need to modernize Universities "in such a way as to equip them to meet the challenges that global competition in education, research and innovation represent". For Ms Carvalho, "universities are central to strengthening our ability to compete within the knowledge society". Ms Carvalho also spoke about the next European Budget, where the European Institutions have attributed a special role to the Universities in the scope of the regional development. Maria da Graça Carvalho Carvalho considers that "Universities will be crucial for the definition of the regional innovation plans (smart specialization) and will be essential partners for the enterprises and other institutions of the region in the execution of the regional funds".

José Carlos Marques dos Santos, Rector Universidade do Porto and Vice-President of CRUP presented the Portuguese Universities. The role of universities in the regional policy was presented by Manuel Assunção, Rector Universidade de Aveiro and member of the Executive Committee of FUP (Foundation of Portuguese Universities)

António Cunha, Rector Universidade do Minho and member of the Coordinating Committee of CRUP spoke about The strategy of Portuguese Universities for Horizon 2020 and António Rendas, Rector Universidade Nova de Lisboa and President of CRUP, presented of the study on the Portuguese Higher Education System CRUP-EUA .

The representatives from the European Commission were Jordi Curell - DG EAC,  Jack Mattey - DG Research and Teresa Oliveira - DG EMPL. Professor Helena Nazaré - President of the European University Association, made the conclusions of the meeting.

The Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP) is a coordinating body of higher education in Portugal and integrates, as full members, all the public universities and the Catholic University of Portugal, hence corresponding to a relevant and significant part of the national higher education system. CRUP is full member of the European University Association (EUA), where 47 countries are represented through their universities, national associations of rectors and other organisations active in higher education and research. Portuguese participation in EUA provides not only a constant dialogue platform for our universities, as also a mechanism of intervention in the design and shape of the European education and research landscape, including a valid contribution to EU research policy-making.

In the picture, Maria da Graça Carvalho with the Portuguese Secretary of State of Higher Education and the President of the CRUP.