European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) successfully held its 2025 conference at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon on 26–27 June 2025. The event focused on the ongoing challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality in higher education. This year’s theme, “Gender Equality in the Academy is Fragile: Is Values-Led Leadership the Answer?”, explored the need for leadership rooted in values, particularly in the context of advancing gender equality within academic institutions.
Over the course of two days, the conference featured dynamic discussions with esteemed speakers, including leaders in academia, policy, and gender equality. Sessions covered a wide range of topics, such as values-led leadership strategies, policies for promoting gender equality, the importance of fostering inclusive environments, and the role of AI as a cross-cutting issue in universities and research organizations.
The conference also provided a platform for open dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of actionable strategies aimed at overcoming barriers to gender equality in academic leadership. Participants emphasized both the fragility of the progress achieved so far and the urgent need to embed inclusive practices more deeply into academic systems.
A highlight of the Lisbon conference was the presentation of the 2025 EWORA Honorary Award to Prof. Manuela Veloso, Head of AI Research at J.P. Morgan and Herbert A. Simon University Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. She was recognized for her trailblazing contributions to artificial intelligence, her inspirational academic leadership, and her enduring commitment to gender equality in science and technology.
The award was conferred during the closing dinner on June 27, 2025, in the presence of EWORA President Prof. Kerstin Tham and with a tribute delivered by Prof. Isabel Gil, Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa. In her address, Prof. Veloso reflected on the future of AI, the role of ethics in technological innovation, and the urgent need to cultivate diverse academic environments that empower women scientists and scholars.
By bringing together voices from across Europe and beyond, and by recognizing transformative figures such as Prof. Veloso, EWORA once again affirmed its mission to advance inclusive governance, support women leaders in academia, and promote gender equality in higher education. The Lisbon conference and award ceremony marked another milestone in EWORA’s ongoing work to inspire and strengthen values-led leadership in the academy.
