Biography

Teresa Damásio is today one of the leading figures in the field of education in Portugal and across the Lusophone world.

Since July 2016, Teresa Damásio has served as Executive Director of the ENSINUS Group, one of the largest education groups in the Portuguese-speaking world. The group leads organizations fully dedicated to education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, including professional training, consultancy, and applied research. In 2023, the group celebrated its 56th anniversary and oversees institutions including ISG, INETE, Escola de Comércio de Lisboa, Escola de Comércio do Porto, EPET, EPAR, Externato Marquês de Pombal, Externato Pedro Álvares Cabral, and Colégio de Alfragide in Portugal, as well as IEG and ISG in Mozambique, and IPT and ISG in Guinea-Bissau.

A firm believer that challenges are meant for those courageous enough to face them, Teresa Damásio has also served as Chair of the Board of Directors of COFAC – the Lusophone University branch in Guinea-Bissau – since 2020.

She is also an Executive Director of Real Colégio de Portugal, a leading non-higher education institution providing education from nursery to secondary school. Since September 2011, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of ISUPE – Instituto Superior Politécnico de Humanidades e Tecnologias Ekuikui II, in Huambo, Angola.

As she often states, “together we go further,” Teresa Damásio is an active member of the Board of AEEP – the Association of Private and Cooperative Schools, which brings together around 500 member institutions. She also represents Private and Cooperative Education on the Advisory Council of the National Commission of UNESCO, actively participating in conferences and publications of organizations such as NAFSA, AIRC, and ISEP.

The Lusophone world is of particular importance to Teresa Damásio. As a member of the General Council of the Portugal-Mozambique Chamber of Commerce, she has actively worked to promote it.

Since February 13, 2023, she has also served as a consultant in the field of Education and Higher Education for the American company GLG – Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc., covering Portugal, Spain, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

Teresa Damásio is a committed and active citizen, always focused on good governance and promoting well-being. She has been politically engaged since her youth and, as President of the Parish Assembly of Benfica, ensures the needs of her community are met with dedication and diligence.

In recent years, she has held several political roles in the service of the common good, including Deputy in the Portuguese Parliament, Member of the National Committee of the Socialist Party, Member of the National Political Commission of the Socialist Party, Member of the Lisbon Municipal Political Commission, Member of the FAUL Political Commission (Urban Area of Lisbon), Secretary-Coordinator of the University Lusófona Section of the Socialist Party, and Member of the Secretariat of the Benfica Section of the Socialist Party.

A strong advocate for gender equality, she has served as President of the Socialist Women of FAUL and Chair of the Political Commission for Socialist Women.

Teresa Damásio is internationally recognized for her contributions to Portugal, notably being appointed Portuguese Ambassador for the European Vocational Skills Week in 2019 and 2020.

Her leadership journey also includes founding and directing DRIE – the Department of International Relations, Internships, Employment, and Entrepreneurship at the Lusófona Group, where she was responsible for implementing an international strategy across all university campuses.

A lawyer and professor for over 20 years, Teresa Damásio has extensive experience in higher and non-higher education, focusing on research topics such as capacity building, brain gain policies, multiculturalism, and gender equality. She published her first book, “O Estado das Coisas – Visões sobre a igualdade, o ensino e o estado do país em geral” (The State of Things – Perspectives on Equality, Education, and the State of the Country), released by Oficina do Livro in November 2024.

Teresa Damásio holds a Law degree from Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, a Postgraduate Diploma in “Lusophone Space: Culture, Economy, and Politics” from Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, a Harvard Business School certificate in School Management and Leadership, as well as another in Organizational Leadership. She also holds a diploma in Women in Leadership: Becoming an Agent of Change from MIT Professional Education.

She is the proud mother of three sons.