Director of the Film and Media Arts Department Elected President of CILECT

Manuel José Damásio, Director of the Department of Cinema and Media Arts at Lusófona University - Lisbon University Centre, has been elected President of the CILECT – International Association of Film and Media Schools during the association's congress held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from 21 to 25 October 2024. Founded in 1952, CILECT is the main global representative organisation for the most important film and media schools, bringing together more than 186 institutions from 63 countries across six continents. CILECT represents over 11,000 teachers and staff, training more than 90,000 students annually and maintaining a network of over one and a half million alumni.

Between 2020 and 2024, Manuel José Damásio had already served as the head of the European section of CILECT, the GEECT – European Association of Film and Audiovisual Schools. His election to the presidency of CILECT reflects the growing significance and importance of Universidade Lusófona in the fields of education and research, where he also leads FilmEU – European University of Film and Media Arts, the only one among the 64 "European Universities" in the cultural and creative industries sectors.