Summer Course in Bioethics 2025 - Institute of Bioethics of the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP)

Bioethics Summer Course 2025

July 14-18 | Faculty of Medicine – Sintra Campus, UCP

The Institute of Bioethics at the Catholic University of Portugal is organizing a Summer Course in Bioethics, to be held from July 14th to 18th, 2025. Aimed at students, professionals, and researchers from various fields, the course promotes interdisciplinary ethical reflection on the main challenges of the modern world, within a context of scientific, technological, and cultural transformation.

Coordinators: Mara de Sousa Freitas, António Medina D´Almeida and Fernando Araújo

Summary of the program

📅 July 14th

Opening sessionTrue culture is about humanizing, it's about "ethics" – Fr. Vasco Pinto de Magalhães, SJ.Bioethics in the Modern World: New Paradigms, Old Questions – Mara de Sousa FreitasAI ethics in the EU and international contexts – Mihalis Kritikos (online)

📅 July 15th

Nonviolence as an Ethical Principle – Marta BritesConscientious Objection Between the First and Last Breath – José Diogo MartinsEthics in Early Life – Célia IglésiasClinical Trials and Commitment to the Common Good – Maria José SantosInformed Consent in the Digital Age – Filipa IglésiasDigital Transformation in Healthcare – Francisca LeiteEthical Implications of Genetic Testing and Genomic Medicine – Kris Dierickx (online)

📅 July 16th

Research assessment in the Age of AI – Francis P. CrawleyProfessional Ethics in Nutrition – Paula RavascoAI in the Clinic: Promise, Peril, and the Ethics of Innovation – Elif Ekmekci (online)The Pandemic as a Social Mirror – Nilza Diniz (online)Biobanks and Ethical Responsibility – Cíntia ÁguasBioethics and Vaccination – Ana Paula Nunes

📅 July 17th

Tragic choices, akrasia, and intertemporal inconsistency – Fernando AraújoLongevity and Ageism – Joana ArosoEthics, Environment and Sustainability – João Queiroz e MeloBioethics and Humanities: Listening as an Ethical Practice – Maria de Jesus CabralEthics and the Dignity of the Person – Bagão FélixRight to Health and Disability: Bioethical Equity – Anelize Caminha (online)Patient Consent in Medical Law – Flaviana Rampazzo Soares

📅 July 18th

Arete and Syphrosyne: Ancient Heroes in Bioethics – João PereiraThe Brain and Consciousness – Alexandre Castro CaldasMedicine as Technical Knowledge and Ethical Responsibility – António AlmeidaRoundtable Discussion: Bioethics in Times of Uncertainty – Jorge Soares, Rita Paiva e Pona, Alexandre Palma, Mara de Sousa Freitas, João Condeixa, Sofia MenéresClosing session

Format and registration

Schedule: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (first day); detailed schedule in the full program.Modality: in-person or online (camera connected)Language: mostly Portuguese; some sessions in English.Registration: until July 13, 2025 | Limited places (50)

🔗 Information and application: Access the official website

Program (PDF):