José Manuel Durão Barroso, born in 1956, was president of the European Commission (2004-14), prime minister of portugal (2002-04), minister of foreign affairs of Portugal (1992-95), state secretary for foreign affairs and cooperation (1987-92) and state secretary at the ministry of home affairs (1985-87).
He graduated in law from the University of Lisbon, completed a diploma in European studies at the European University Institute, University of Geneva, and a master’s degree in political science at the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Geneva.
He was a teaching assistant at the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon, in the Department of Political Science, University of Geneva, and visiting professor at the Department of Government and School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.). He was also head of the International Relations Department of Lusíada University, Lisbon. He was one of the founders of AUROP, the Portuguese University Association for European Studies.
He is the author of numerous publications on political science, international relations and European studies. He has been distinguished with many state honours, including the Great Collar of the Order of Infante D. Henrique and the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ from Portugal.
He is currently visiting professor of international economic policy at Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University.
He is also visiting professor at the Catholic University of Portugal, in Lisbon, and visiting professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and at the University of Geneva.