The General Council of NOVA University Lisbon elected this Wednesday, May 13, Paulo Pereira as Rector of NOVA for the 2026/2030 term, reinforcing the support obtained in the previous electoral process, with a total of 15 votes.
“I receive this result with a strong sense of responsibility and gratitude for the renewed trust of the academic community. The fact that there has been an increase in support compared to the previous process strengthens our commitment to continue working with stability, closeness, and ambition for the future of the University.
I would also like to convey a message of reassurance to the academic community. NOVA continues to operate with stability, normality, and full commitment to its mission of teaching, research, and service to society. I have full confidence in the institutional maturity of our University and in our collective ability to overcome this moment with calm, responsibility, and respect for institutions. We want NOVA to be a university of freedom, critical thinking, and plurality. And it is precisely this democratic culture that must be preserved and strengthened at this time,” said Paulo Pereira.
Paulo Pereira is a Coordinating Researcher at NOVA Medical School, where he has lead a research group dedicated to the study of degenerative retinal diseases. He served as Vice-President of the Foundation for Science and Technology (2012–2015) and as Director of the Centre for Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Coimbra. He also coordinated the iNOVA4Health unit, focused on biomedical research. In teaching, he founded and coordinates the international master’s programme NBR – NOVA Biomedical Research, recognised for its pedagogical model. He has contributed to the creation of doctoral programmes and is responsible for several curricular units.
At NOVA Medical School, he led high-impact national and European projects and coordinated the COVID-19 task force, strengthening the University’s response to the pandemic. He has also held several executive and collegiate positions in academic bodies. Internationally recognised, he promotes scientific and cultural cooperation, bringing together science, art, and society.
