Updated news (6 May)
The elections for the position of Rector will take place on the 13th, following the judgment issued in Case No. 28692/25.0BELSB by the Lisbon Administrative Circle Court. In compliance with that judgment, in addition to the candidates previously considered by resolutions of the Electoral Commission, the candidacy submitted by Professor Doctor Pedro Miguel Maló was admitted.
As the required quorum for the functioning and deliberation of the General Council was not reached at the meetings convened for 24 April 2026 (first call) and 30 April 2026 (second call), we inform you that the public hearings will follow the schedule below:
08:50 — Public draw to define the order of presentations.
09:00–10:00 — Candidate 1.
10:10–11:10 — Candidate 2.
11:20–12:20 — Candidate 3.
12:20–13:20 — Candidate 4.
13:30–14:30 — Lunch break.
14:40–15:40 — Candidate 5.
15:50–16:50 — Candidate 6.
Each hearing has a total duration of 1 hour, comprising 15 minutes for the presentation, 15 minutes for questions (maximum of 1 minute per question), and 30 minutes for answers and/or comments, focusing exclusively on the content of the submitted action programme.
If any candidate is not present at the scheduled time, the hearings will proceed without interruption, always maintaining the order resulting from the draw and the duration set for each hearing.
The vote to elect the Rector will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the presentations on 13 May 2026, at the Rectorate.
NOVA University Lisbon informs that the new attempt to hold the election for the position of Rector, scheduled for this Thursday, 30 April, did not take place due to lack of quorum in the General Council.
This is the second time that the electoral act has not been carried out under the conditions defined by the Court, despite the University having ensured all necessary steps to comply with the judicial decision that ordered the repetition of the process.
NOVA University Lisbon reaffirms that it has acted throughout this process in strict compliance with the law.
The electoral process began in the first half of 2025, with the opening of the procedure leading to the election of the Rector. Following an interim injunction filed by one of the excluded candidates, the process was suspended and later resumed, culminating in the election held on 16 September 2025. At a meeting of the General Council, Professor Paulo Pereira, lecturer and researcher at the NOVA Medical School of NOVA University Lisbon, was elected in the first round with 14 votes.
In March 2026, the Lisbon Administrative Court ordered the repetition of the electoral act, with the process resuming from the stage at which Professor Pedro Maló’s candidacy had been excluded, having initially been removed from the procedure. In compliance with that decision, NOVA University Lisbon adopted the necessary measures to resume the electoral process under the same terms, with no new candidacies being admissible. The candidates admitted to the process are: Duilia de Mello, Elvira Fortunato, José Júlio Alferes, João Amaro de Matos, Paulo Pereira and Pedro Maló.
Following the judicial decision, the General Council of NOVA University Lisbon scheduled the repeated electoral act for 24 April, but it could not take place due to lack of quorum. Two members of the General Council had previously communicated their absence, while another five members were present but left the meeting before the start of proceedings.
A new attempt to hold the electoral act was subsequently scheduled for 30 April, but it also did not take place due to the lack of quorum in the General Council, by one member. Of the 10 absences recorded, five members provided prior justification, and three attended but left the meeting before the proceedings began.
The election of the Rector of NOVA University Lisbon will take place on 30 April.
The public hearing will be broadcast live to Auditorium A at the Rectorate and on NOVA’s YouTube channel.
NOVA University Lisbon has announced that it was not possible to hold the election for the post of Rector this Friday, 24 April, as the required quorum was not present at the General Council meeting.
NOVA UNiversity Lisbon informs that, in the context of the interim relief proceedings currently pending before the Lisbon Administrative Court, the corresponding reasoned resolution has been submitted.
According to doctrine and case law, the submission of a reasoned resolution has the effect of lifting the suspension previously ordered in the context of the interim proceedings, thereby allowing the resumption of the electoral process, even before a final judicial decision is issued.
In this context, the electoral process continues its normal course, with the holding of the election confirmed for tomorrow, 24 April 2026.
The University will continue to monitor the development of the process, ensuring, in defence of the public interest, strict compliance with the legal and statutory provisions in force.
NOVA University Lisbon has been notified by the Lisbon District Administrative Court of the suspension of the election process for the post of Rector, following an interim injunction filed by four lecturers from the Faculty of Economics/Nova SBE.
In compliance with the Court’s ruling, which the University respects, the election process is currently suspended.
The University is reviewing the matter.
23 March 2026
Following the meeting of the General Council of NOVA University Lisbon, held this Monday, March 23, the timetable for the electoral process leading to the election of the Rector was established.
According to the approved schedule, the election of the Rector will take place on April 24.
The electoral process will therefore resume from the exclusion of one candidate, in accordance with the terms defined by the Lisbon Administrative Court, allowing only the candidacies submitted in the last electoral act and the previously excluded candidacy.
The electoral process was initiated by the General Council, the competent body for this purpose, which remains in office under the Statutes of NOVA University Lisbon currently in force and duly approved, and will be overseen by the Electoral Commission.
Information on the schedule of public presentations on April 24, 2026:
08:50 — Public draw to determine the order of presentations;
09:00–10:00 — Candidate 1;
10:10–11:10 — Candidate 2;
11:20–12:20 — Candidate 3;
12:20–13:20 — Lunch;
13:30–14:30 — Candidate 4;
14:40–15:40 — Candidate 5;
15:50–16:50 — Candidate 6;
17:00 — Meeting of the General Council and vote for the election of the Rector.
The public hearing will be broadcast live to Auditorium A120 at Colégio Almada Negreiros and on NOVA’s YouTube channel.
Notice of Admission of Candidacies
In compliance with paragraph 5 of Article 3 of the Electoral Regulations for the election of the Rector of NOVA University Lisbon, it is hereby made public that, in accordance with the ruling issued in Case No. 28692/25.0BELSB of the Lisbon Administrative Court, the Electoral Commission, at its meeting of March 23, 2026, admitted the candidacy for the position of Rector submitted by Professor Pedro Miguel Maló.
At meetings held on May 14 and 28, 2025, the Electoral Commission had previously admitted the candidacies for the position of Rector submitted by Professor Duilia de Mello, Professor Elvira Fortunato, Professor João Amaro de Matos, Professor José Alferes, and Professor Paulo Pereira.
Candidate Professor Duilia de Mello
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Candidate Professor Elvira Fortunato
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Candidate Professor João Amaro de Matos
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Candidate Professor José Júlio Alferes
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Candidate Professor Paulo Pereira
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Candidate Professor Pedro Maló
Curriculum Vitae
Action Plan
Electoral Commission Minutes: Minute No. 5
Notice: Electoral Commission Meeting