Last wednesday, 12 November, the Air Force Academy (AFA) held its solemn opening ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic year in Sintra, before an audience of three hundred people.

Presided over by the Minister of National Defence, Nuno Melo, the solemn session was also attended by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General João Cartaxo Alves, and the Commander of the AFA, Major General Paulo Costa.

The AFA Commander addressed the audience, beginning by thanking all members of the Air Force Academy for their commitment, emphasising that ‘each one of you, and all of you together, are indispensable’ to the success of the unit. He wished luck and success to the new and current students and encouraged the military personnel who joined the Permanent Staff of the Air Force to make a difference in the life of the institution through their daily activities, noting that ‘the Air Force is counting on you.’

The traditional inaugural lecture was given by Captain Mafalda Castanho, specialising in Aeronautical Administration, on the topic of ‘Organisational performance measurement practices in the context of Public Administration paradigms: evidence in the Armed Forces’.

This symbolic ceremony not only marked the beginning of another academic year, but was also an opportunity to honour the students who completed their course in the previous academic year and joined the permanent staff of the Air Force as officers, receiving their course certificates, diplomas and swords. The students who stood out the most were also recognised with awards.

In his speech, the Minister of National Defence, Nuno Melo, praised the value of the AFA and, above all, the young people who make it up, stating that they symbolise hope for the younger generations of Portugal and inspiration for their comrades. He took the opportunity to highlight the importance of the values and lessons learned, inspiring everyone to uphold ‘the values, principles and integrity that this Academy has instilled (...) beyond knowledge.’