Last week, Católica Porto Business School opened its doors to welcome new Master's students with another edition of All Aboard – a four-day programme designed to make academic and social integration smoother, more engaging, and truly memorable.
Targeted at students of the Master’s in Management, Marketing, Finance, Auditing and Taxation, and Business Economics, All Aboard combined discovery, inspiration, and connection. From team building activities organised by the Career and Development Office, to welcome sessions with programme directors, and a guided campus tour led by second-year colleagues, students were invited to dive into the spirit of the School from the very first moment.
The programme also featured Meet Porto, a creative way of discovering the city’s hidden gems, and the traditional Meet the Alumni session, opened by Paulo Alves, Vice-Dean of the School, who emphasised: “We want this session always to feature people who walked the same corridors and attended the same classes as you.”
One of the highlights was the inspiring testimony of Manuel Luiz, an alumnus of Católica Porto Business School who became Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). "Working with young people who are energetic, eager to learn, and motivated is contagious", he said. He also recalled how, in the face of the crisis in the Portuguese market, he postponed his decision to move to Chile for a year, later recognising that delay as a decision that should have been made earlier. In 2012, better prepared, he moved to Brazil, where he built his career until 2022. His advice to students was clear: act with courage and do not postpone important decisions when opportunities arise.
But this was not the only alumni visit the programme had. Students also had the chance to attend “Unlocking Futures: Mentoring and Peer Connections”. In this session, alumni and former participants in the School’s Master’s mentoring programme – Pedro Leite, Mariana Cabral, and André Costa – reflected on how the experience shaped their professional and personal journeys. The agenda further included an informal exchange with second-year students, who shared practical tips and advice to help newcomers integrate more smoothly into campus life.
Another highlight was a talk by Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Vice President of Woxsen University, who delivered fresh perspectives on artificial intelligence and the future of smart cities.
The programme also included the workshop “Global Challenges: how to contribute and leave my mark”, run by the Movimento Transformers, where students were challenged to think about impactful solutions to social and environmental issues, turning awareness into action.
All Aboard closed on a celebratory note with a cocktail party with the support of Deloitte, a moment of music, conviviality, and enthusiasm to mark the beginning of this exciting new chapter.
For João Pinto, Dean of Católica Porto Business School, the event is “the beginning of a transformative journey that will continue to unfold as we learn together.”
