Francisco Jorge Gonçalves, associate researcher of the Research Centre of the Institute for Political Studies, was distinguished by the Military University Institute, with the prize "Scientific Research in Military Sciences" in the field of "Internal Security and Criminal Phenomena", for the publication of the article "Senior Members in the Police and Security Forces as Politically Exposed Person", with Verónica Martins.

The prize was awarded during the ceremony that took place last December 7, where the Vice-Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Peter Hanenberg, was present, in representation of the University.

Jurist at the Court of Auditors, Francisco Jorge Gonçalves holds a doctorate and a master's degree in Political Science and International Relations: Security and Defence, from the Institute for Political Studies at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

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André Azevedo Alves, Professor at the Institute of Political Studies and Scientific Director of the Research Center of the Institute of Political Studies at UCP, has been appointed Honorary Professor of Political Science and Catholic Social Thought at St. Mary's University in London.

Since 2015, André Azevedo Alves has been a founding member of the Benedict XVI Center for the Study of Religion and Society at St. Mary's University, where he also served as Associate Professor (part-time) between 2017 and 2024.

André Azevedo Alves, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, has been a central figure in the collaboration between St. Mary's University and the Portuguese Catholic University, as coordinator of various initiatives and joint research projects.

Notable projects coordinated by André Azevedo Alves include "ELSiA 2021-2023: a partnership for the Promotion of Integral Ecology in Europe" and "Freedom, globalization, enterprise and civil society in 21st century Catholic social teaching". The latter project resulted in the publication of the book "Catholic Social Thought, the Market and Public Policy: Twenty-First-Century Challenges" by St. Mary's University Press, and the Portuguese edition is currently being prepared for publication by UCP Editora.

This appointment, which greatly honors the Universidade Católica, reflects the recognition of the academic work and significant contributions that André Azevedo Alves has made in the field of political science and Catholic social thought. 

Catarina Leão, a researcher at the Research Centre of the Institute for Political Studies (CIEP) of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, won the Portuguese Political Science Association 2025 Prize for the best doctoral thesis entitled ‘Autocratic Legacies and Immunisation Against Extremism: A Rational Choice Approach’. 

An alumna of the Master's Degree in Governance, Leadership and Democracy Studies at the Institute for Political Studies of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the Bachelor's Degree in Management at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, she completed her PhD at Oxford, defending her thesis in 2023.

She worked as a researcher as part of CIEP's participation in the project ‘Budget, Economy and Democracy’, funded by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, and taught the seminar ‘Autocratic Legacies and Support for the Past after Democratisation’ in 2023 at IEP.

Catarina Leão is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics at Sciences Po in Paris, and is also an Associate Researcher at CIEP.