NOVA University Lisbon hosted the Lisbon Assembly, the final in-person meeting of the Erasmus+ ULEAD4ALL project — a European initiative dedicated to promoting inclusive leadership in higher education. This significant event brought together international partners, educators and aspiring leaders to celebrate their shared journey and reaffirm their dedication to creating more diverse, equitable and transformative academic communities.
Coordinated by UIIN (University Industry Innovation Network), the project involved Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (NOVA’s partner in the EUTOPIA Alliance), Trinity College Dublin, ADVANCIS and NOVA itself. NOVA played an active role in implementing a pilot Inclusive Leadership Training programme. Participants developed Personal Journey Projects (PJPs) that reflected their personal growth aspirations and a collective commitment to inclusion and diversity in universities.
One of the most remarkable moments of the gathering was the intervention of Teresa Pizarro Beleza, Full Professor at NOVA School of Law, who delivered the keynote“The Right to Belong: Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (Leadership)”). In her critical reflection, enriched with personal notes and insights on the national context, Professor Beleza highlighted the persistent gap between institutional discourse and lived reality, underlining the urgency of concrete actions to make Higher Education truly inclusive.