Raquel Matos has been reappointed by the Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) as Director of the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP-UCP) for a new three-year term 2024-2027.
In her speech, the FEP-UCP Director thanked the Rector for the vote of confidence and stressed the privilege she felt to continue leading the Faculty. “To be part of the University, as a teacher, researcher, collaborator or student, is to transform it; to take on a leadership position is to have an opportunity to enhance this transformative potential,” she said.
Raquel Matos also thanked Pro-Rector Isabel Braga da Cruz and the entire team at the Universidade Católica in Porto for their sustained assistance in supporting the FEP.
She highlighted two areas that have been the flagships of the previous mandate (2021-2024): valuing careers and promoting the well-being of the FEP community, and the launch of the Católica Learning Innovation Lab (CLIL), which has been a driver of pedagogical innovation across the four campuses of the Universidade Católica. With regard to this initiative, Raquel Matos thanked all the academic units of the UCP for their active and committed participation, stressing that the success of CLIL is due to all of them.
Goals for the new term: promoting mental health and increasing student participation
For the new term, Raquel Matos outlined two strategic areas: promoting mental health for students and the entire UCP community and increasing student participation in all university processes. The FEP director also stressed the importance of research and the plans to consolidate the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH).
Finally, she thanked the students, alumni, teachers, researchers and non-teaching staff for their support and commitment and expressed her enthusiasm for the new cycle. “It is a great privilege to continue for another cycle at the head of such a committed community as the Faculty of Education and Psychology, within such a valuable institution as the UCP," she concluded.
The new Board team will be announced shortly and promises to continue to nurture the potential of the FEP community and to meet future challenges with determination and innovation.
The swearing-in ceremony took place during the VI Meeting of Católica Research (CARE) - Promoting Attractive and Responsible Research Careers, held at the Universidade Católica in Braga on 28 September, 2024. On the same day, the new Director of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Bruno Nobre, was sworn in.
