Universidade Católica Portuguesa took part in Happiness Camp 2026 as part of its partnership with what is Europe’s largest conference dedicated to Human Sustainability and the Future of Work.
Throughout the event, held on 24 September at Alfândega do Porto, Católica was represented at different moments of the programme. The University was present at the Innovation Hub with its own stand and also contributed to the programme through João Pinto, Dean of Católica Porto School of Business and Economics and co-leader of INSURE.Hub, and Wayne Visser, Director of the Católica Centre for Thriving Futures, who moderated two sessions bringing together experts and representatives from national and international organisations. The partnership with Happiness Camp also brought more than 500 students, lecturers, researchers, staff and alumni from Universidade Católica Portuguesa to the event.
When Artificial Intelligence Transforms Organisations
João Pinto moderated the panel “The Human Edge: What Companies Must Protect When AI Changes Everything”. The discussion brought together Felicia Cheng, from Salesforce; Riddhima Kowley, from Nokia; César Carvalho, from Wellhub; Claude Silver, from VaynerX; Madalena Carey, from Happiness Business School; and Jen Fisher, from Happiness Camp, for a debate on how organisations can integrate artificial intelligence without losing what makes human contribution distinctive.
Drawing on the different perspectives of the panellists, the discussion explored how organisations are being transformed by advances in Artificial Intelligence and the challenges this creates for leadership, work and the human dimension of companies themselves. Among the issues addressed were the limits of automation, what can and cannot be entrusted to technology, and the need to keep empathy and the human element at the heart of organisations. The discussion also brought a global perspective to these transformations, questioning the extent to which the debate around AI and the future of work, which is particularly prominent in the Western world, takes different realities and geographies into account.
The University’s participation in the programme also included Wayne Visser, Director of the Católica Centre for Thriving Futures, who moderated the session “Beyond The Stage: The Closed-Door Speaker Q&A”. In a more intimate and private setting, the session brought together Adam Hickman, from The Walt Disney Company; Beena Ammanath, from the Deloitte AI Institute; Claude Silver, from VaynerX; Nathan Hiller, from Florida International University; and Kate Zipay, from Purdue University. The session provided an opportunity for a direct conversation between participants and the event’s speakers, allowing them to ask questions, share specific organisational challenges and explore different perspectives on the topics discussed throughout the event.
This was the fourth edition of Happiness Camp, which once again brought professionals from a range of fields together in Porto to discuss issues related to people, work and organisations.
