As part of International Women's Day on March 8, Hélia Gonçalves Pereira, Rector of the European University, was honored by the Avenidas Novas Parish Council, along with other female personalities. The aim was to celebrate the role and importance of women in the social, family and professional context.
The event, organized by the Avenidas Novas Parish Council on the initiative of President Daniel Gonçalves, consisted of a ceremony celebrating women and their rights, at a time when defending these social causes is increasingly necessary. The Rector was selected because of her work on the importance of the role of women in society, and her perseverance for gender equality.
According to the Avenidas Novas Parish Council, in 2024, in addition to Rector Hélia Gonçalves Pereira, six other women stood out as references in various areas of Portuguese society:
- Ana Paula Martins, former President of the Order of Pharmacists and former President of the Board of Directors of the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário Lisboa Norte).
- Luiza Cadaval de Sousa, President of the Alto do Parque Neighborhood Association,
- Margarida Castro Martins, Director of Civil Protection at Lisbon City Council,
- Paula Franco, President of the Order of Certified Accountants,
- Ana Carvalho, Commissioner of the Public Security Police.
- Marta Pereira, Manager of the Refood Center in São Sebastião da Pedreira.
"On this very important day, I'd like to stress that we all have to keep fighting and defending a more equal society in which we are recognized for our merit and not for our gender. There is still a long way to go, but it will be shorter if we all take it upon ourselves to be the driving force behind this change," said the Rector of the European University.
Profile of the honoree
Hélia Gonçalves Pereira, Rector of the European University, has 20 years' experience in university teaching, with a career marked by the integration and development of projects. Whether it's building new programs at the most different levels of education, or the permanent link between academia and business, Hélia Gonçalves Pereira's profile is driven by a desire to do, innovate and always involve the teams she has worked with in the goals she has set.
The author of several books, scientific and opinion articles, she has always sought to ensure the link between academia and the business world, being responsible for various training and consultancy projects, as well as being a regular presence at numerous national and international conferences. His research areas are fundamentally based on Digital Marketing, Relationship Marketing and Tourism Marketing.
She embraces the challenge of leading the European University's academic destinations, where she seeks to continue looking to the future, with the well-defined objectives of digital transformation, mobility and interculturality, which will allow the institution to strengthen its position.