CATÓLICA LISBON launches fundraising campaign for new campus

Today, 1 March, the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics will publicly launch its fundraising campaign for the new Católica Campus in Lisbon - Campus Veritati - as part of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) global campaign "Together We Shape the Future".

According to Isabel Capeloa Gil, President of UCP, "the motto chosen for the campaign: "Together We Shape the Future" aims to share that this is not just a project for the University, but for all those who are part of this community and all those who believe in our educational and scientific project, recognise its impact and see themselves in the values we profess. It belongs to everyone who wants to build the future with us".

The new Veritati Campus represents an investment of around 120 million euros and is expected to be completed in 2027. The project includes the construction of two new buildings: one to house CATÓLICA-LISBON, doubling its capacity with higher quality, and a multifunctional building that will house the Rectory, a large Conference Centre and a number of knowledge centres and interfaces with companies.

The buildings and external surroundings currently on the Católica campus will also be upgraded. The architectural project created by architect Carrilho da Graça expresses the vision and ambitious way in which the University wants to shape the future.

For Filipe Santos, Dean of CATÓLICA-LISBON, "the new building will make it possible to double the current physical capacity with modern facilities that will guarantee the growth of the School and its various activities, responding to the growing demand for excellent education, both nationally and internationally."

The development of the 22nd best Business School in Europe will bring significant benefits to the University and strengthen Lisbon's position as a hub for high-quality international education and research.

"This will attract entrepreneurial talent and have an impact on Portuguese society and companies. It will also contribute to a global world, educating competent and ethical business leaders and citizens, in addition to promoting research on topics of social relevance aligned with the global sustainable development agenda," emphasises Filipe Santos.
 

The Veritati Campus: sustainable and with more outdoor spaces

The two new buildings will cover more than 20,000 square metres and will allow CATÓLICA-LISBON to relocate. But the new Veritati Campus will also allow for the expansion of UCP's Faculties, located at its headquarters in Lisbon, integrated into a renovated University Campus, with green and sustainable spaces.

UCP's project aims for a sustainable campus, orientated towards the challenges of the future. This means the creation of collaborative and knowledge-integrating spaces, fuelled by technological innovation and meeting the needs of a cosmopolitan student population that is culturally diverse and strongly adapted to technological transformations.

The new campus responds to the expansion in the number of programmes, science and technology-based activities, students and teaching staff at the University and the growing demand for Católica at national and international level in the various fields.

As part of the sustainability vision, the overall project also involves moving cars from the surface of the current campus to a new three-level underground car park in the new buildings. This will allow the current outdoor car park to be converted into an area with green spaces where students can work and socialise.

Overall, the capacity of the headquarters of the Universidade Católica will increase by more than 40 per cent, with a significant overall improvement in the quality of the facilities. The two sides of the Lisbon campus will be integrated.

This project is strategic for the Universidade Católica, propelling the University's academic areas of excellence into the future. It thus reinforces Católica's impact in higher education, science and technology, creating social and economic value for Portugal and Europe in general.

Who this fundraising campaign is aimed at

The Universidade Católica Portuguesa is an institution of public utility, non-profit and without state funding. It provides a public service orientated towards teaching, research and service to the community, and with this project it is developing one of the biggest investments ever in higher education in the country.

As such, the fundraising campaign is aimed at everyone who identifies with Católica's project for the country and considers various donation models. In the case of the campaign now publicly launched by CATÓLICA-LISBON, in addition to the main goal of funding the construction of the Veritati Campus, there are also lines of support for investment in the school's Knowledge and Innovation, as well as scholarship programmes for students of high merit.

All donations, regardless of their value, will be recognised, and there will then be different options for recognition, such as the possibility of naming spaces on the new campus after the most significant donations.

This campaign will run until the end of 2027, when the Veritati Campus is expected to be fully operational.