From 15 to 17 September, the Braga Campus of the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP) opened its doors to welcome new students in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences (FFCS).

As usual, the opening session featured a welcome speech by the Vice-Chancellor of UCP - Braga, Paulo Dias, to the new students. The Director of FFCS, Bruno Nobre, and the Director of the Faculty of Theology, Luís Rodrigues, also welcomed and congratulated the new students on their academic choice. This was followed by a round table entitled ‘The voices of the Alumni: They have been where you are now!’, in which several students and alumni shared their experiences at Católica Braga, as well as their professional careers. The day also featured a performance by Líricas - UCP Braga's female musical group.

The second day began with the panel ‘FFCS: Jesuit Faculty,’ led by Fr. Paulo Duarte, who presented the identity and mission of the institution. This was followed by the panel ‘Come and meet your Tribe,’ where students got to know the various groups and initiatives of the academic community, from the Student Association to the tunas, as well as projects such as Mentorizate, Sintonizate, Fratelli Tutti, Praxe Académica, and the Social Work Student Commission. The day continued with an academic tour and ended in the Guadalupe Garden with lunch and integration activities.

On the third and final day, there was a presentation of the courses, the UCP4Sucess, UCP2MentalHealth, and Tranform4Europe projects, and the Cuidar*te, Voluntaria*te, Braga Academic Centre (CAB), and Protection and Care Plan services. At this point, the UCP4Sucess scholarships were awarded to the three students selected by the project. 

These integration activities and moments of sharing marked the official start of the academic year and their academic journey at the institution.