In the last week of November 2024, the 14th FORGES Conference – Forum for the Management of Higher Education in Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Regions (FORGES) came to an end. The conference was held at the Macao Polytechnic University (China) under the theme “Innovation for Development in Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Regions.”
Academics and researchers from higher education institutions in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Macao, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé and Príncipe participated both in person and online.
The opening session featured, at the Head Table, the former President of FORGES, Margarida Mano – who visited UNDIL earlier this year – and the Rector of Macao Polytechnic University, Marcus Im Sio Kei.
UNDIL was represented by the Pro-Rector for Research, Postgraduate Studies, and Cooperation with the CPLP, M. Azancot de Menezes, who was elected Full Member of the FORGES Board of Directors for the 2024–2027 term.
In the new FORGES mandate, there are renewed presidencies across the governing bodies and representatives from various CPLP countries. The new President of the FORGES Board is Marcelo Bizerril, from the University of Brasília (Brazil); the President of the General Assembly is Margarida Mano, from the Catholic University of Portugal; and the President of the Fiscal Council is Maria da Conceição Mendes, from the Higher Institute of Education of Benguela (Angola).
The 15th FORGES Conference will take place in November 2025 in Timor-Leste and will be jointly organized by FORGES, UNTL, UCT, and UNDIL.