CATÓLICA-LISBON welcomes 400 Deans from the world's top business schools
CATÓLICA-LISBON is hosting the EFMD Deans Conference 2025, an initiative of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD Global) that will bring together more than 400 Deans from the world’s top business schools to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of business leadership education.
The conference, themed "Leading in Times of Disruption," will take place this Thursday and Friday, February 13 and 14, in Lisbon. On February 13, CATÓLICA-LISBON will welcome the Deans of the most prestigious international business schools for the official dinner.
The main goal of this conference is to provide a forum where business school leaders can discuss the most pressing topics in management education and exchange best practices to address current and future challenges.
"It is a great honor to host the upcoming gathering of Deans from the world’s leading business schools and, in doing so, play an active role in discussing key strategic topics for business schools worldwide. Business schools face major challenges related to technology, economic, cultural, and geopolitical shifts, in an external environment of great uncertainty. This conference aims to foster an in-depth discussion on the challenges of the global economy and the role of business schools as sources of knowledge and education in empowering leaders and managers to act responsibly, resiliently, and sustainably in an increasingly complex and fragmented global landscape", says Filipe Santos, Dean of CATÓLICA-LISBON and Chairperson of the conference.
The opening session will also feature Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD & EFMD Global Network, reinforcing the significance of the event in the global management education agenda.
Founded in 1972, EFMD Global is a non-profit, global organization recognized worldwide as an accreditation body for management schools, business school programs, and corporate universities. CATÓLICA-LISBON was the first business school in Portugal to receive EFMD accreditation in 2007, and for several years, it remained the only school in the country to hold the triple accreditation.
The organization comprises 983 members and 30,000 management professionals from 92 countries, bringing together business schools and companies with a mission to develop socially responsible leaders and managers. These professionals seek opportunities for collaboration and networking, playing a central role in shaping the global approach to management education. Moreover, the network provides an exclusive forum for knowledge sharing, research, networking, and discussions on innovation and best practices.
Hosting this conference in Lisbon, with CATÓLICA-LISBON as the host institution, marks a significant milestone in positioning Lisbon as an international hub for research and education in Management.