Dear EWORA Colleagues,  As the year draws to a close, we would like to extend our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy, hopeful New Year.   Over the past year, EWORA has continued to advance its shared vision for gender equality in higher education. This has included the publication of our Position Paper outlining key priorities for gender-equal academic leadership, as well as our 2025 Conference in Lisbon, which brought together rectors, senior academics, and institutional leaders to reflect on the fragility of gender equality in academia and the role of values-led leadership.   We are pleased to share that the official report of the EWORA 2025 Lisbon Conference has now been published, capturing the key discussions, insights, and outcomes that reflect EWORA’s continued commitment to advancing gender equality and inclusive leadership in higher education.   The Lisbon Conference also provided the occasion to celebrate outstanding leadership. During the closing ceremony, Prof. Manuela Veloso was awarded the 2025 EWORA Honorary Award, in recognition of her pioneering contributions to artificial intelligence, her inspirational academic leadership, and her long-standing commitment to advancing gender equality in science and technology.     Looking ahead, we would like to draw particular attention to the EWORA Academic Leadership and Mentoring Program for Future Women Rectors, which will begin in March 2026. This newly launched programme is designed to strengthen the pipeline of women leaders aspiring to the highest executive roles in academia. Led by senior academic leaders, many of whom are former rectors, the programme combines strategic, values-led leadership training, peer learning, and individual mentoring, within a strong European and international network. It will include seven online sessions and a face-to-face meeting at the EWORA 2026 Conference in Brussels.   We warmly encourage universities to consider nominating outstanding women leaders, including Deans, Vice-Rectors, and other senior academic leaders. Nominations remain open, and we would be pleased to receive expressions of interest or enquiries at info@ewora.org.       Through our role as a strategic partner in the MEDNIGHT project under European Researchers’ Night, EWORA continues to reaffirm the importance of connecting inclusive research and leadership with society at large.   As we enter a new academic cycle, we warmly invite you to remain connected with EWORA’s initiatives and to continue working together to strengthen women’s leadership and inclusive governance in higher education.   With our best wishes for a restful holiday period and an inspiring year ahead.   Kind regards, Prof. Kerstin Tham President, EWORA Former Vice-Chancellor, Malmö University     The EWORA Board sends its warmest wishes for a joyful season and an inspiring year ahead.