There will be Democracy! University and Critical Reason

On 5 February 2026, NOVA University Lisbon will host the event Will There Be Democracy? University and Critical Reason, a public initiative that reaffirms the university’s role in democratic life and its commitment to critical thinking and plural debate.

The event marks the launch of PULSAR, a new permanent NOVA programme of conferences, civic forums and editorial initiatives, dedicated to public reflection and participatory engagement with the major issues of our time. By creating a regular space for dialogue between academia and society, NOVA affirms the university as a place of knowledge production and as a democratic actor in contemporary public life.

The opening session will feature a keynote address by José Gil, followed by a debate moderated by José Maria Pimentel, and will also include a cultural moment with Samuel Úria, expanding the conversation into other forms of creation and reflection. The event concludes with a public reception.