“With this visit, we hope to expand the possibilities of cooperation”, it was with these words that Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of Católica, marked the visit of Sophia University, in Japan, to the UCP Headquarters, on the 1st of March. A visit that the Rector hopes will help "orient and deepen our future cooperation".

The meeting was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which cemented the relationship between the two Universities, already partners within the SACRU – Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities. As the Rector stressed, “this research network of Catholic universities is becoming increasingly stronger and the University of Sophia has been here since its inception”, in 2018, at the UCP Headquarters, in Lisbon.

Yoshiaki Terumichi, President of Sophia University, also highlighted the importance of this connection, stating: “what makes Católica so special is that we have already built a strong relationship through the SACRU network.” Relationship now strengthened by the signed agreement, which the President believes “will lead them to a new phase of international cooperation.”

Living proof of this long-lasting collaboration is Adriano Freire, alumnus and professor at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, who received his doctorate from Sophia University in 1995. The President of STRAT&EGOS Institute, who was also present at this meeting, told how “the opportunity arose to go to Japan ” in 1991. By then “there was already some interaction between the Catholic University and Sophia University in Tokyo, so I took advantage of that connection to study,” at the Japanese university, he recalled, proudly holding his diploma.

From his time at Sophia, Adriano Freire highlighted “the concern with education and openness on a world scale,” as the most positive characteristics of the university, and believes that the two Universities share “many similarities”. In his words: “we are both humanist universities, people are at the center of our teaching”.

Also present at the meeting were Tetsuo Morishita, Vice President for Global Academic Affairs, and Tomoe Yoshino, Director of the Office of Global Education and Collaboration at Sophia University. The Japanese counterparts met with Peter Hanenberg, Isabel Vasconcelos, José Manuel Pereira de Almeida and Miguel Athayde Marques, Vice-Rectors of the Catholic University, and Francisco Mendes-Palma, Director of Global Engagement at the UCP.

Alongside the signing of the protocol and the visit to the facilities, there was an opportunity to discuss the future of international cooperation with those responsible for International Relations at the various faculties of Católica.

The coming of the University of Sophia to the UCP reflects the meaning of valuing the educational offer, research work and the social positioning of the Catholic University and the international recognition of these dimensions.

This visit strengthened the foundations for effective cooperation, for the production of results across the universe of universities, with a program of activities and works being pursued in the coming months.