The first episode of the second season of the videocast “Negócios com Impacto”, a partnership between CATÓLICA-LISBON and Rádio Renascença, premieres today, April 2.
In this inaugural episode, Filipe Santos, Dean of CATÓLICA-LISBON, highlights the school's role in shaping the leaders of the future.
“Attracting the right talent, such as our students at CATÓLICA-LISBON, is the first step in developing young people with the drive and ideas to build a company. But it is equally essential to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive throughout their education”, explains Filipe Santos.
In November 2024, Universidade Católica Portuguesa was recognized by Startup Portugal as the most entrepreneurial university in the country—an achievement that, as Filipe Santos notes, “is remarkable, considering we are only one-third the size of the universities of Porto and Lisbon.” He adds, “We integrate multiple entrepreneurship courses across both undergraduate and master's programs, where students work on real projects using a structured set of tools and methodologies. Through this hands-on experience, new ideas begin to emerge”.
The most promising projects are then accelerated at the CATÓLICA-LISBON Entrepreneurship Center (CLEC) through the Forward! acceleration program, now in its fourth edition. This initiative helps CATÓLICA-LISBON entrepreneurs integrate into Lisbon’s and Portugal’s dynamic innovation and startup ecosystem.
“Today, we have one of the most vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in Europe, both in the commercial and technological sectors as well as in social entrepreneurship, and we are attracting talent from abroad. Our universities are producing strong entrepreneurs, and we must continue fostering this momentum, as it benefits us all”, emphasizes Filipe Santos.
He also underscores the importance of internationalizing education, arguing that diversity enriches the academic experience and fosters a global learning environment.
“When a company, university, or school opens itself to the world and challenges itself to serve international markets, the level of demand rises, and so does market potential. By internationalizing, having 50% international faculty and 50% international students, our school has achieved a level of quality, rigor, and innovation that would not have been possible if it had remained focused solely on the domestic market”, he explains.
Beyond education and entrepreneurship, Filipe Santos also discusses pressing economic and political issues, including challenges in immigration, visa, and residency processes for international students, the impact of Portugal’s political crisis, and the potential consequences of Donald Trump’s new administration on the Portuguese market. The episode also examines the economic implications of ongoing global conflicts, highlighting the need for a resilient and adaptable economy in an increasingly uncertain world.
The first episode of “Negócios com Impacto” premieres today, offering essential insights for anyone interested in understanding how academic knowledge influences the world of business and economics.