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Check out some cartoons drawn during the forum
How can higher education safeguard its fitness-for-purpose and relevance as artificial intelligence rises, demographics change and labour market demands and learning needs evolve?
These developments, as well as larger-scale societal shifts towards a knowledge economy, point to a need for more innovative approaches to learning and teaching. With this in mind, the next edition of the European Learning & Teaching Forum will focus on how staff development can be (re-)designed to facilitate innovation in learning and teaching to create systemic impact on student learning, by delving into questions such as:
Through a mix of plenary and parallel sessions, the Forum provided a platform for discussion and exchange of practice on how universities enhance, innovate and transform learning and teaching. The 2026 Forum also included an exclusive preview of the work of EUA’s 2025 Learning & Teaching Thematic Peer Groups, comprised of universities from across Europe.
Gathering a wide range of learning and teaching professionals to exchange and discuss institutional practice and policy developments, the Forum is an ideal event for vice-rectors for academic affairs, deans, heads of learning and teaching centres, and management involved in learning and teaching. It also welcomes students, policy makers and other stakeholders in higher education.
Dear colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that Universidade Católica Portuguesa welcomes the European University Association Learning & Teaching Forum 2026 to Lisbon. This gathering of academic leaders, educators, and innovators provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the future of higher education at a moment in which pedagogical transformation has become essential to the mission of universities across Europe. Hosting this year’s Forum in Lisbon reinforces the commitment of our university to shaping learning environments that are intellectually rigorous, socially responsive, and aligned with the evolving needs of students and societies.
As Rector, I invite all participants to engage openly and creatively with the Forum’s themes, contributing their experience, questioning assumptions, and exploring new models of teaching and learning. Our university has long prioritised pedagogical innovation—integrating research-led teaching, digital tools, and student-centred approaches—to ensure that every learner is empowered to thrive. This Forum is an opportunity to build on that work collectively: to strengthen the culture of educational excellence in Europe and to co-create strategies that prepare our institutions for the challenges ahead.
Lisbon, a city known for its openness, dynamism, and spirit of discovery, provides an inspiring backdrop for this endeavour. Its rich academic community, cultural diversity, and forward-looking approach to urban and social innovation make it a natural home for discussions on the future of higher education. I invite you to take full advantage of this environment—its history, its creativity, and its warmth—as together we shape the next generation of learning and teaching in Europe.
Welcome to Lisbon, and welcome to the EUA Learning & Teaching Forum 2026.
The Rector
Isabel Capeloa Gil
Plenary: Exploring the what, why and how of educational transformation
Emilie Malcourant, Teaching Consultant, Louvain Learning Lab/University of Louvain, Belgium
Presentations
Final Plenary: Connecting the dots: how to create lasting impact through staff developmentKatarina Mårtensson, Professor of Higher Education and Academic Developer, Lund University, SwedenManuel João Costa, Associate Professor at School of Medicine, University of Minho and Vice-President of National Council for Innovations in L&T in Higher Education, PortugalLana Par, President, European Students’ Union (ESU)Chaired by Maria Kelo, Director of Institutional Development EUA
Cartoons from the final plenaryPolicy UpdateMaria Kelo, Director of Institutional Development, EUAMichael Gaebel, Director of Higher Education Policy, EUA
Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), founded in 1967, is a leading research university in Portugal with 20,000 students and 1,100 faculty members. With four campuses spread across the country (Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Viseu), 19 schools and 15 research centres, Católica provides a wide range of study possibilities, offering a complete university experience that combines tradition, modernity, proximity and an internationally driven education, with more than 113 nationalities represented, and a 97% employability rate.
UCP’s schools range from the Faculty of Theology, two Business Schools (Lisbon and Porto) and the Faculty of Human Sciences, to the Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing (with schools in Lisbon and Porto) and the School of Biotechnology, among others. Católica was also the first non-state-run university to have a medical school accredited by the Portuguese Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES), in October 2020.
Universidade Católica Portuguesa’s mission is excellence in academic training and the cultivation of science for the common good. Taking on the principles of Christian humanism within an independent ethos that respects diversity and explores free thought, UCP pursues its mission based on three mainstays: teaching, research and innovation, as well as service and social responsibility.
UCP’s strategy focuses on a sustainable future while creating value through concepts such as the common home, fraternity and integral ecology. Its vision is to be a leading European university in critical research and transformative core teaching, and to be ranked among the best Catholic universities at global level.
Among the alumni and faculty of the Universidade Católica are recognized leaders who occupy highly ranked public positions. Católica’s alumni and faculty embody the quality of our education, inspired by their alma mater’s determination in the pursuit of ethically driven, innovative and meaningful solutions for Portugal and the world.
Lisbon is a must for anyone seeking a destination rich in culture, safe and inclusive. Sandy beaches, fascinating history and the delicious flavors of Portuguese gastronomy come together in one place, where hospitality is celebrated.
Lisbon’s geographical location is part of its charm. It has a mild, sunny climate most of the year, and the light illuminates the houses, beaches, and vineyards, inviting you to gaze at the unique reflections of the Tagus and the Atlantic. Lisbon shines with its cultural and natural heritage. Major international events have decided to come to Lisbon bringing talent from all corners of the world to take part and invest in the Lisbon lifestyle.
In the middle of the 21st century, Lisbon presents itself as a contemporary city: a cycle path that stretches for hundreds of kilometers; the metro lines that unite the city and where each station is a showcase for Portuguese art and the famous trams that climb the hills of Lisbon. An unmissable offer of local shops and quality restaurants invites everyone to share Lisbon’s day and night life.
Lisbon is for everyone: for those who want to explore its historical and cultural heritage; for those who want terraces with a panoramic view of the city to watch a sunset over the River Tagus; for those who can’t do without the beach and love outdoor activities; for those who want a family day out or simply for those who want it all. In Lisbon, everything is at your disposal.
