Government declares national public interest of Católica's Veritati Campus

The Council of Ministers has declared the national public interest of the Veritati Campus of the Catholic University of Portugal, as well as its respective urban requalification and rehabilitation operation. The decision is contained in the Council of Ministers Resolution no. 184/2026, published in the Diário da República on September 24, 2026, 1st series, no. 186, and comes into force on the day following its publication.

The resolution was signed on September 9, 2026, at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, under paragraph g) of article 199 of the Constitution. The decree notes that the Lisbon City Council was consulted.

The Government maintains that the project contributes to the development of human capital, the improvement of research and development capacity, and the strengthening of the attractiveness and competitiveness of the Lisbon region and the Country. The executive frames the initiative within the Program of the XXV Constitutional Government, particularly in the preservation and deepening of a higher education offering with national coverage and the promotion of the internationalization of higher education.

A new university hub north of the campus

The Veritati Campus consists of the construction of a new university hub in the northern area of the current campus, composed of two buildings. These are intended to house the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics and a multifunctional conference center, which also integrates an innovation center.

• Two buildings for the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics.
• Multifunctional conference center with an innovation center, with a capacity for approximately 800 people.
• Capacity to accommodate approximately 5,000 more students.
• Expansion and modernization of existing facilities.

Public space, mobility, and urban rehabilitation

The implementation of the project envisions the freeing up of areas in the south campus, allowing for an increase in green and leisure areas and the construction of a suspended garden or landscaped square over Avenida Lusíada, exclusively for pedestrian circulation.

According to the resolution, the intervention will mitigate the barrier effect created by this road, contribute to pedestrian crossing safety, and revitalize the offer of commerce and services in the area. The text adds that the offer of collective-use spaces for the academic community and the general public will be expanded, and the urban landscape and the image of the city of Lisbon will be improved.

Employment and institutional profile

The Government estimates that the project will create between 1,500 jobs during the construction phase and 750 jobs in the operational phase.

• More than 50 years of existence of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in teaching, research, and interaction with society and the economy.
• First institution in Portugal to obtain the Triple Crown accreditation and to be included in the Financial Times ranking, in the case of the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics.
• Awarding of scholarships to students residing in Portugal and to international students, particularly those from the PALOP (Portuguese-speaking African countries) and Timor-Leste.

The declaration of national public interest is the formal recognition that the project constitutes a collective-use facility intended for the general public and that it contributes not only to Portuguese education, but also to the revitalization and solidity of the regional and national economy. For Lisbon, the decree paves the way for an intervention that combines increased higher education capacity, new green and pedestrian spaces over Avenida Lusíada, and job creation in the construction and operation of the new campus.

Source: Diário da República, 1st series, no. 186, of September 24, 2026, section I (Presidency of the Council of Ministers) (official reference: Council of Ministers Resolution no. 184/2026).