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From 3 to 5 September, Universidade Portucalense held the UPT Erasmus Welcome Week, a welcoming programme for students of 18 nationalities. In this first semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, Universidade Portucalense is hosting 102 students from European universities from 17 countries – Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Türkiye, and Slovakia. This group was also joined by two international exchange students from Brazil. The programme began with a welcome session led by the Vice-Rector for Teaching, Elizabeth Real, followed by a guided tour of the University and the International Aperitif. Over the next few days, various educational, cultural, and leisure activities took place, facilitating the students’ integration into the university and the city of Porto. Among the highlights were the 6 Bridges Cruise on the River Douro, a surf lesson, and an integration dinner. Organised by the International Relations Office, UPT Erasmus Welcome Week reaffirms Universidade Portucalense’s commitment to internationalisation, cultural diversity, and welcoming a global, inclusive, and dynamic academic community.

Between 7 and 9 July, Universidade Portucalense held the first edition of the “Summer School +Sucesso: Excellence Programme for Excellence”, part of the +Sucesso@UPortucalense project. This was an intensive learning experience for the 28 freshers selected for their high academic performance. For three days, the students took part in workshops in the areas of communication, creativity, emotional intelligence, and leadership. The programme also included group dynamics, mentoring sessions with guest lecturers and mentors, and activities designed to stimulate personal growth, reflection, and collaborative work. Elizabeth Real, Vice-Rector for Education, points out that: “The ‘Summer School +Sucesso: Excellence Programme for Excellence’ was a particularly meaningful initiative within the framework of the +Successo@Universidade Portucalense Project, as it recognised the academic merit of the first-year students with the best academic grades.”   She stresses that this programme “has not only enabled the development of personal, interpersonal, and academic skills, but also reinforced the sense of belonging to the academic community, through the interaction with colleagues, lecturers, and alumni.” She believes that “the active involvement of the students, combined with the quality of the topics and the trainers, contributed to an enriching experience, with a real impact on the academic career, professional aspirations, and future prospects of the participants.” In view of the strong response and the high level of satisfaction shown by the participants, she said there is a possibility of “new, similar actions within the scope of the project, as well as other complementary initiatives aimed at promoting the academic success of our students.” “Summer School +Sucesso: Excellence Programme for Excellence” is part of the +Sucesso@UPortucalense Project, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).  

Lecturer Sandra Fernandes is part of the “+Sucesso@UPortucalense” project, which began in September last year and is due to end in September next year.