"The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and NOVA - shared paths" was the name chosen by the Rector, Professor António Rendas, for a Colloquium featuring the institutional relations between the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.
The meeting provided a summary of initiatives supported by Gulbenkian in the various schools and institutes of NOVA over the last few years, and particularly during the presidency of Dr. Artur Santos Silva, who recently finished his mandate as head of the institution.
The Directors of NOVA schools and institutes emphasized the Foundation's support in teaching, science and community relations. Numerous examples of support in research projects have been highlighted, many of them with a notable impact on the Portuguese society, in developing countries, or even at global level, support in teaching through the creation of programs, chairs and scholarships to undergraduate, masters and doctoral students, in the organization of events, cultural and artistic initiatives, congresses, exhibitions, among many others.
Another perspective of the "shared paths" between the two institutions was also presented, in terms of the contribution of the University to the Foundation in ways such as the organization of exhibitions, evaluation of the authenticity of works of art, various studies of students and researchers for the Foundation.
With the continuity of this relationship that has been established for decades in mind, the Directors also presented challenges for the future during their interventions.
"About 400 initiatives have been supported over the last few years", in the words of Dr. Isabel Mota, current President of Gulbenkian, who co-chaired the Colloquium with Professor António Rendas, and also closed the meeting.
"As we have seen from the various testimonies presented today, this has been a win-win relationship," said Isabel Mota, who highlighted the importance of future initiatives bringing together science, art and technology. A point that is linked to the interdisciplinarity of knowledge areas, fundamental to meet the challenges of the future and which reflects the unique character of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
The meeting preceded the ceremony of awarding the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Dr. Artur Santos Silva, in recognition of the great contribution to the progress of Portuguese society.
