Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice actively contributed to both the organization and the programme of the first Slovak–Portuguese Academic Forum, which took place at UVP Technicom in Košice on 27–28 April 2026, under the auspices of H.E. Maria João Lopes-Cardoso, Ambassador of Portugal to the Slovak Republic, and with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Youth of the Slovak Republic, the academic community, research institutions, and public organizations from both countries.
In addition to members of the university leadership, including Rector Daniel Pella and Vice-Rector for Internationalization Silvia Ručinská, representatives from individual faculties and units of UPJŠ also attended the event. They participated in expert panels and discussions focused on key topics such as urban resilience, biomedical innovations, digitalization, modern technologies, and well-being. The second expert session, dedicated to biomedical innovations, was led by Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Želmíra Macejová. These discussions created opportunities for establishing new partnerships between Slovak and Portuguese universities, as well as for building a solid foundation for future joint projects in education and research.
The forum provided an important platform for strengthening bilateral cooperation between Slovakia and Portugal in the fields of higher education, science, and research. As a co-organizer of the event, UPJŠ reaffirmed through its active participation its long-term commitment to supporting internationalization and the development of international partnerships, in line with the Internationalisation Strategy of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice for the 2023–2027 period.
