For two weeks, students from all over the world joined at Católica’s Institute for Political Studies to debate liberal democracy and explore the city of Lisbon. Rewatch the best moments of the wonderful SACRU programme that “will be missed”.

Tanmaiyee Vaddepati was one of the selected students. Coming from Boston, United States, and with a background in Public Health, she accepted the challenge to understand the “health disparities around the world.”

Alongside students from different degrees, cultures and continents, she discussed the foundations of political science, artificial intelligence and human rights.

And there is no doubt she truly enjoyed it: “Being able to learn, live, and explore in the city of Lisbon has been such a privilege.”

“The global programme has given me the opportunity to develop strong relationships with classmates from all over the world,” says the student, who is also grateful to Católica’s professors and staff: “they genuinely took the time to get to know each one of us and hear about our own perspectives on complex world topics,” she explains.

Some of her favorite experiences in Lisbon was trying pastéis de nata and listening to Fado. But, most of all, she learnt how to say ‘obrigado’ (thank you).

“I will forever be thankful and grateful for this experience. I also learned how to say ‘vou ter saudades’ because I will definitely miss my classmates, the faculty, and the city of Lisbon!”

“It is widely believed that AGI has the potential to be a wonderful tool that humans can use to meet our needs, solve our problems, and improve our lives.” 

However, in “Why AGI could not be (just) a tool: Goals, Life and General Intelligence", William Hasselberger, professor at the Institute for Political Studies, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and Micah Lott, professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, Boston College, “argue that any entity with truly general, human-level intelligence would have the capacity to lead its own life, with its own purposes and integrated hierarchy of goals.”

“And thus any true AGI could not be merely a tool, even if it turned out to be extremely helpful for human beings. If we are correct, there is a dilemma at the heart of the ambition to build AGI as a valuable tool.”

In the most recent publication, the researchers and co-chairs of the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, discuss the dilemma on genuine AGI, and whether it can more than a simple tool.

Read the full article here

There could not have been a more suggestive location than the city of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to officially conclude the inaugural SACRU Summer School "A New World Order: The Way Ahead between Democracy and Authoritarian Challenges," held from July 1 to 14 at the Lisbon campus of the Universidade Catòlica Portuguesa (UCP). The visit to Sintra marked the end of the unique programme of the Alliance, which gathered 16 students from 6 SACRU Universities to discuss the future of liberal democracy in light of pressing contemporary issues such as authoritarianism and democratic backsliding.

“Our students came from all over the world and have been shaped by different cultural traditions and upbringings - still they were all deeply united in their commitment to delve deeper into the intricacies of democratic existence, and their passion for democratic ideals", Ana Cavalieri, Executive Director of the Summer School, commented.

In this summer school, these students discussed the key features of Political Leadership, Governance, and Democratic Practice in contemporary societies and addressed how to defend peace, pluralism, prosperity and human rights in light of the rapidly changing dynamics of contemporary global politics. Hence, "the inspiring success of this inaugural edition of the SACRU Summer School clearly shows how powerful the alliance" can be, Ana Cavalieri added.

The classes covered a whole spectrum of contents such as The Portuguese Revolution of 1974 and its rolling stones, Democracy and the challenges of populism and polarization, and the strategies to reshape world politics through the mix of hard and soft power.

Tetsuo Morishita, Professor and Vice President for Global Academic Affairs of Sophia University, addressed the topic of AI and the rule of law, stimulating students on how we could address AI to foster democracy. "Students actively expressed their views on issues such as what limitations AIs have, how various decisions in the democratic process may be delegated to AIs, and how AIs can be used to strengthen democracy", the professor highlighted.

Representing Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Professor Raul Caruso gave a lecture on the impact of climate change on social turmoil, and violence and protest. According to the professor, "students showed great engagement, bringing various approaches to the topic. This is due to the topic's interdisciplinary nature and the different cultural contexts from which the students came." Which the professor believes "the main strength of this SACRU initiative is that it stimulated both students and faculty members' reflections".

Alongside the academic programme, students were given a 360-degree experience with on cultural visits to the beauty of Lisbon, such as the Castle of Sao Jorge, the Belem Tower, and the Monastery of Jeronimos. Other social moments were a boat tour of Lisbon and listening to Fado, a typical Portuguese music. These activities were important to complement students' knowledge of democracy by strengthening inter-community ties and familiarity with SACRU.

The feedback from students in this regard was nothing but positive. "With my background in law, I found the Summer School's interdisciplinary approach immensely valuable, especially as it allowed me to learn from other disciplines, notably political theory," Lima Atkar, Ph.D. student in Law & Business at the Australian Catholic University, said.

“The experience of participating in the SACRU Summer School and immersing myself in Portuguese culture was, in a word, "inesquecível" – unforgettable. I am deeply grateful to SACRU and Universidade Católica Portuguesa for organizing such an excellent programme and for their memorable hospitality", the student concluded.

Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) will host the first Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) Summer School: "A New World Order: The Way Ahead between Democracy and Authoritarian Challenges," from July 1st to July 14th, 2024, in Lisbon.

16 students from Australian Catholic University, Boston College, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Sophia University, UCP, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Universitat Ramon Llull will come together for this summer school to debate the challenges threatening the stability and deemed desirability of 'liberal democracy' in an increasingly interconnected, competitive and complex global order.

Featuring the presence of UCP's President, Isabel Capeloa Gil, the Summer School includes lectures by international experts such as Tetsuo Morishita, professor at Sophia University, Japan, and Raúl Caruso, professor at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, networking sessions and workshops, as well as a rich cultural programme.

"Many of the challenges currently threatening the stability of democratic societies are global - both in nature and impact. That is why initiatives like SACRU Summer School bring immense value: it allows experts and students from all over the world to come together and share unique experiences, offer different perspectives and propose innovative solutions, while immersing themselves in a program that promotes scientific curiosity and generous communication. It is a true honor for the University Católica Portuguesa to host this inaugural program in Lisbon and contribute to the revitalization of democratic political thought», highlights Mónica Dias, Director of the Institute for Political Studies at UCP.

Hence, the programme refletcs "SACRU's commitment to engaging the young generation worldwide. It will be an opportunity for them to feel part of a global network and build strong ties with one another." states SACRU Secretary General and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Vice-Rector, Pier Sandro Cocconcelli.

Aiming to debate on the definition, development, interaction of 'liberal democracy' and what principles should guide a possible 'liberal democratic" revival, this is a truly multidisciplinary programme, with participants from several backgrounds: Political Science, International Relations, Development and Cooperation, History, Philosophy, Law, Nursing, Languages, Business, and Psychology.

This integration of various disciplines enriches the learning experience, fosters a comprehensive understanding of complex global issues, and proves interdisciplinarity as one of SACRU's cornerstones.
 

Learn more about SACRU

On the lawn of Católica's headquarters and flanked by the walls of São Jorge Castle, in the sunny city of Lisbon, 16 young students from all over the world gathered to debate Liberal Democracy. A rich academic reflection on a journey across four continents, from 1 to 14 July.

Inês Caxias and Marco Osório were two of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa students selected to take part in this inaugural Summer School of the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities. Studying Political Science and International Relations at UCP's Institute of Political Studies - co-organiser of the programme - for Inês the choice was obvious and at the end of the first week, she said she "is thoroughly enjoying it". "The classes are intense, but you truly learn a lot" and "the environment is amazing", she added.

She is particularly interested in "the classes on crises and challenges to democracy" and especially the sessions on "sharp power, the threats to international institutions, and whether AI will undermine democracy".

In a different field, attending the Master's in Management at Católica Porto Business School, Marco, 23, was equally enthusiastic about the programme. "I'm particularly interested in topics that move the world, such as politics. I like getting to know various points of view and deepening my knowledge of this area," he explains.

About the "very enriching and complete" programme, as he describes it, what interests him most is exploring in depth "topics such as liberal democracy, the threat of authoritarianism and social change."

Also on the Iberian Peninsula, Pau Gener Ferrer, 21, is studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona. He learnt about the SACRU Summer School through the student association and saw it as an opportunity to discuss liberal democracy, a topic he believes society "owes a lot to".

In Lisbon, the students says he met "incredible people". But "the best part was meeting them while working together, debating. It is always exciting to study abroad, but it is not every day that you get a chance to work hand in hand with people from different ages, backgrounds and nationalities," he emphasised, in what is precisely the key point of this Summer School: multiculturalism and multidisciplinary.

Coming from Milan, Erica Locarini brought with her the expectation of getting to know "different perspectives" and addressing "points of democracy that are not covered in regular classes, for example, the link between democracy and AI.”

Currently studying for a Master's degree in Policies for International Development Cooperation at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, Erica is particularly excited about the opportunity to get to know Portuguese culture at Fado Night.

From the other side of the world came Felipe Lledó. He's 24 years old, Chilean and in the final year of his Master's programme in Language and Literature at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. It's his first time in a European country and he confides that he wanted to take part because he's always liked "to learn about politics." Having tried to link linguistics research to political discourse: "I think this Summer School can give me theoretical tools to better understand the political phenomena I want to study from the area of linguistics."

With a truly rich programme, this small group, which also includes students from Boston College, USA, and Australian Catholic University, "promotes intense and interesting debates, as everyone brings unique perspectives to the table," explains Inês. And after just five days, "new friendships have been created and global connections made," Marco points out.

Reflecting on the Summer School, Pau stresses that he learned "both how to criticise and defend democracy", which he believes helped him "to better understand how ideas and political systems work".

On the other hand, Chile's Felipe highlights the different perspectives on democracy: "listening and learning how these issues are discussed and seen in the US and Europe, in contrast to Latin America", but also between different authors and theories, as emphasised by Marco.

For these students, it was not only an opportunity to debate issues, but also their first contact with SACRU. Marco believes that the "experience provided an excellent image of the Alliance", noting that it is an initiative of "extreme importance for strengthening inter-community ties and developing students' knowledge."

"At a time when we are witnessing trends towards 'de-globalisation', these moments of sharing and study between different cultures are very important," Marco concluded.