CHRC in the 1st Health Symposium of the University of Évora
A commitment to applied research, community health, and transdisciplinarity.
In a time marked by global challenges that deeply affect public health — from climate change to social inequalities — the University of Évora has shown how academia can serve as a powerful agent of change. From 26 to 30 May 2025, the University hosted the 1st Health Symposium, an initiative of the School of Health and Human Development (ESDH), in collaboration with several academic units and with the support of local partners. The event embodied the mission to promote an integrated, preventive, and participatory approach to health.
The Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), as a research centre firmly grounded in evidence-based health promotion, sees this Symposium as a clear example of the fundamental role of science in addressing health challenges — always in close cooperation with communities and with a strong orientation towards real societal impact.
The transversal and collaborative structure of the event reflected the values of the CHRC: fostering interdisciplinarity, integrating knowledge, and promoting the application of scientific research for the benefit of populations. The event stood out not only for the quality of its content and invited speakers — including strong participation from CHRC-affiliated researchers — but above all for the way it mobilised academia, policymakers, professionals, and the wider community around a shared goal: to rethink health as a collective, intersectoral, and dynamic public good.
During the opening session, the Rector of the University of Évora, Professor Hermínia Vilar, praised the vision of Professor Armando Raimundo, Director of both the ESDH and the CHRC at the University of Évora. His capacity to build bridges between science, education, culture, and community was instrumental in bringing the Symposium to life. The recognition of health as a central pillar of human and social development permeated every session, underscoring the structural role that research centres such as the CHRC can — and must — play in shaping public health policies and practices.
The presence of Évora City Council Vice-President, Dr Alexandre Varela, reinforced the political and institutional commitment to preventive and community-based health — a strategic line also prioritised by the CHRC. The investment in collaborative projects between municipalities, universities, and research centres is essential to generating concrete, sustainable, and community-driven solutions.
Contributions from the directors of the University's academic units — Fernando Carapau (School of Sciences and Technology), Leonor Rocha (School of Social Sciences), Tiago Navarro Marques (School of Arts), Isabel Bico (São João de Deus School of Nursing), and Rui Salgado (Institute for Research and Advanced Training) — reaffirmed the importance of transversality and cross-disciplinary collaboration. These are also foundational principles of the CHRC’s research strategy.
The Symposium programme featured renowned keynote speakers such as Vítor Ramos, Vítor Varela, Manuel Gonçalves Pereira, and Jorge Torgal, who addressed key issues including access to healthcare in rural areas, maternal health, healthy ageing, and the “One Health” concept — all of which are pillars of the CHRC’s strategic research agenda.
The event also included a variety of community-based, cultural and health literacy activities — from health screenings and healthy cooking demonstrations to theatre and musical performances — promoting a holistic and inclusive vision of health. For the CHRC, this type of engagement between science and society is crucial to ensure that research translates into meaningful, real-world impact.
The final part of the Symposium focused on scientific dissemination, giving space to health research developed within the University of Évora and in collaboration with research centres such as the CHRC, through oral communications and thematic sessions. Sharing scientific outcomes with the broader community and valuing applied, impactful research remains one of the CHRC’s core commitments as a centre of research excellence.
In his closing remarks, Professor Armando Raimundo, Director of CHRC-UÉvora, clearly expressed the ambition of establishing this Symposium as a regular feature in the University’s scientific and community agenda:
“It is urgent that we continue to invest in health research and strengthen its connection with the community. Science only makes sense when applied in service of the common good.”
The CHRC congratulates the organisers of the 1st Health Symposium of the University of Évora and reaffirms its commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary, and people-centred health research with real societal impact.
May this be only the first of many gatherings where science becomes action and knowledge becomes health for all.