Catholic university network, SACRU, chooses a new leader for its presidency
Dr. Isabel Capeloa Gil, a renowned scholar in Culture Studies and the current Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), has been elected as the new president of the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU). This global network of research-intensive Catholic universities is dedicated to research and teaching excellence, engagement, and global collaboration informed by Catholic social teaching.
Dr. Gil, who also serves as the founder of the Lisbon Consortium and the Research Centre for Communication and Culture, will lead SACRU in navigating the challenges and opportunities researchers face as they navigate evolving frameworks of academic freedom, funding structures, and ethical considerations.
SACRU includes universities from North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Known core members include The Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C., USA), The University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, The Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven, Belgium), Sophia University (Japan), and The Catholic University of Korea.
The Autumn School, organised in conjunction with the Jubilee of the World of Education, will take place at the Australian Catholic University's Rome campus later this year, from 27 October to 2 November. The theme of this year's Autumn School is "The Freedom of Scientific Research".
As part of SACRU's mission, the alliance focuses on joint research projects, academic exchanges, and global Catholic higher education cooperation. SACRU has also collaborated with the FAO to address global challenges and "strengthen the link between research and policymaking within the One Health framework."
Research, according to Dr. Gil, is a tremendous power that the nine universities in the network are committed to using to educate and to serve the Common Good. The nine universities have a combined student population of more than 250,000 and employ approximately 20,000 academics and researchers.
Dr. Gil has a degree in Modern Languages and Literatures from the University of Lisbon and earned a Ph.D. in German Language and Culture from UCP. She has been a visiting professor at several international universities, including in Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Brazil, and the United States. Dr. Gil is also an Honorary Fellow at the School of Advanced Studies of the University of London.
In addition to her role in SACRU, Dr. Gil is the Vice President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) and President of the European Federation of Catholic Universities (FUCE). SACRU has also worked with the Dicastery for Culture and Education in fostering greater relationships among Catholic educational institutions.
Fr. Anderson Antonio Pedroso SJ, Rector of Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, is President of the Organization of Catholic Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL) for the 2025-2028 term and a Board member of IFCU. Elena Beccalli, Rector of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, is also a prominent figure in the IFCU, serving as its Vice President.
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