NOVA University Lisbon and the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT) signed, on Tuesday 22nd, a general cooperation agreement, reinforcing their shared commitment to science, education, and sustainable development.
The signing ceremony was attended by NOVA’s Rector, João Sàágua, and Her Highness Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite, Executive Director of RASIT, laying the groundwork for future collaborative initiatives between the two institutions.
RASIT is an international non-governmental organisation with consultative status at the United Nations, dedicated to promoting science, education, culture, equity, social justice, and sustainable development. It is particularly recognised for supporting the empowerment of women in academia and research, and for the global initiative Science In Braille, which fosters the inclusion of blind and visually impaired individuals in STEMM fields through equitable and sustainable programmes.
Founder of the Women in Science International League and driving force behind the UN resolution establishing the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (celebrated on 11 February), Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite is an internationally acclaimed scientist and activist, with a background in human genetics and academic experience at institutions such as University College London and Harvard Medical School.
The newly signed agreement aims to promote synergies in areas such as entrepreneurship, peace through culture, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups, further aligning NOVA’s mission with the Sustainable Development Goals.