The event debated the challenges of employability and Work and Occupational Health Psychology in the 21st century.
On 18 June 2026, ISMAT hosted the International Conference *“Putting People First: The Employability Challenges of the 21st Century”*, bringing together more than 100 participants to reflect on the challenges of employability in the 21st century, with a particular focus on Occupational Health and Work Psychology.
The opening session featured contributions from Rui Loureiro, Rui Batalau, Andreia Conceição and Denise Madeira, with Andreia Conceição serving as moderator.
The scientific programme included a presentation by André Tavares Rodrigues and Paulo Martins, focusing on contemporary contexts in Occupational Health and Work Psychology.
This was followed by two international keynote lectures: one delivered by José Climent Rodríguez (University of Huelva), addressing employability behaviours, job search and job retention from a psychological perspective; and another by Ninfa Moreno (Universidad del Valle, Colombia), centred on the experience of unemployment and its psychosocial dimensions, analysed through a grief-based perspective.
The conference provided an important platform for scientific exchange, reflection and international collaboration, fostering dialogue among researchers, academics, students and practitioners.
The event concluded with a networking session among participants, reinforcing academic cooperation and a shared commitment to promoting well-being, employability and the quality of workplace relationships.
