We visited the college where Infanta Sofía will study

We walked up Rua das Flores from Cais do Sodré, walking along the smooth, sloping sidewalks and dodging tourists browsing cafes, wine shops, and concept stores . We continued parallel to Rua do Alecrim and turned left after passing Largo Camões. We crossed the top of the Bica elevator, where several people photographed the (now parked) tram at the top of the sidewalk, and then crossed the street to climb a sidewalk that, despite being centrally located and extremely busy, seemed much quieter. This is a route the youngest daughter of the Spanish King and Queen will likely take frequently in the coming months, as this is where she will attend most of her first-year college classes. Sofía will be the first in her family to pursue a university career abroad: she will study Political Science and International Relations at Forward College, a three-year program in which the first year is spent on its Lisbon campus , the second in Paris, and the third in Berlin.

The college currently has two campuses: the first on Rua das Flores, in Chiado, and the other, brand new, on Rua Luz Soriano, in Bairro Alto. The building that housed Diário Popular in the 1950s and 1960s is located on a side street with few shops or restaurants. It is precisely on the floor where the Observador editorial office once stood that Forward students, including Sofía, now study. Upon arriving, one immediately sees the large, open-plan space with meeting tables, an area designated for student interaction—as well as the sunny terrace, which offers views of the windows and rooftops of neighboring buildings. We enter and follow the long corridor, decorated with paintings alluding to Lisbon and including motivational quotes . "The way you talk to yourself matters. Stop striving for perfection and be yourself," reads one image. On the opposite wall, we see the doors to the four classrooms. The first one says "Belém" at the entrance—inside, the walls are lined with original Portuguese tiles. The others, Santos, Estrela, and Marvila, are simpler, with white walls. All have capacity for approximately 15 students , one of the college's distinguishing features, as it values ​​small class sizes.

Leaving the hallway, we find the stairs leading to the facilities where Observador had a photography and video studio—a quiet space also necessary for the space's new purpose. In the meditation room , with beanbags scattered across the floor and lamps providing just enough light, students can read, relax, and even take a nap. The goal is to provide young people with the tools to develop social and emotional skills. "With increasingly sophisticated Artificial Intelligence, cognitive intelligence is being replaced by machines , and there is a greater need to prepare students holistically , to develop emotional, social, and practical intelligence. This holistic approach is at the core of the college," explains Céline Boisson , co-founder of the college, established in 2021. Meditation is just one element of this pedagogical strategy. In the first two weeks of induction, students participate in surfing and yoga classes on the beach, cooking and film competitions , among other activities that represent the Lisbon lifestyle.

When it began in 2021, the college had a class of 25 students—now it's preparing to welcome 115 for the first two weeks of integration in Lisbon. Forward College was founded by Boris Walbaum , who worked as a financial advisor to the French government between 1999 and 2002 and was an education consultant for 15 years. The co-founders are Céline Boisson , who has worked at tech companies like YouTube and Google, and Jeffrey Sampson , who worked for 11 years at Apple and has worked on teams at other major brands like Christie's and Gap. The project is funded by billionaires such as the Meyer Louis-Dreyfus family , telecommunications entrepreneur Xavier Niel, who is the partner of Dior CEO Delphine Arnault, Agnès Ifker, former president of Galileo Global Education, a private education company, and her husband Stéphane Ifker , of the Antin investment fund, and Corinne Vigreux , the founder of TomTom, a multinational company that develops GPS and navigation systems for cars and creator of the Codam School, a programming school. In 2023, the school announced a €12 million investment in the project, which enabled the opening of the Berlin campus, which Sofía plans to attend in the third year of her degree.

The idea that differentiates this from other colleges, according to Céline, is that the traditional teaching method is not the best suited to the times we live in. "It's basically a transfer of knowledge from a teacher in front of many students in a kind of amphitheater. This transfer, we know from neuroscience, is not the most effective way to make students learn . With AI, knowledge is everywhere. Our method is innovative because we have small classes in which we apply an active learning pedagogy, where students need to prepare for class. We want them to develop critical thinking skills."

Forward College already offers a bachelor's degree recognized by the French Ministry of Education, in addition to a partnership with the University of London. Programs in economics, political science, international relations, data science, psychology, and management are developed in conjunction with the London School of Economics or King's College London and accredited by the British university. Courses may also include a leadership and entrepreneurship component, making it possible to complete the equivalent of two bachelor's degrees in three years . Tuition fees range from €18,500 to €22,500, but the college states that financial aid is available.

Leonor's sister was reportedly selected from among approximately 2,000 applicants, of various nationalities, including Germans, French, Italians, Portuguese, and Americans . "We believe in a small community, which is important for everyone to get to know each other. We invest heavily in building this community," explains Céline. The school acknowledges that it has never had high-profile students in the past, but assures that it treats "everyone equally. Confidentiality, of course, is an essential element of our policy, but there is no special treatment ."

According to Céline, students are selected based on their academic potential and a personal statement. "Depending on the program, we look at specific topics. In the Politics and International Relations program, we look at performance in history and geography ," the co-founder emphasizes, speaking about the program the Infanta of Spain will attend. "Our students share curiosity and openness to the world," she adds, noting that students learn Portuguese, French, and German throughout their academic careers. Sofía has spoken the official languages ​​of the Spanish state (Catalan, Basque, and Galician) since she was a child, and learned English, Mandarin, French, and Arabic in high school—but she most likely also knows Portuguese, given the close ties between the two countries.

The student residence is located in Benfica and has rooms ranging from 13 to 20 square meters, costing between 590 and 690 euros per month. The building also has a gym, laundry room, lounge, study room, private garden, and garage. There is no confirmation on whether the Infanta will live with her classmates, although the college's co-founder emphasizes the importance of the community living experience to the university's pedagogical approach. "Our students live and study together for three years, and we believe this is very important for our approach not only holistically, but also in terms of skills. We believe it will make a difference in the future for them to have lived with a community of people of 40 nationalities for three years, in three different countries, with the need to adapt to different cultures," says Céline.

By choosing this academic path, Sofia breaks with some royal traditions. Until now, the youngest daughter of the Kings followed her sister, Princess Leonor, and completed the International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales. However, the heir to the Spanish throne trained in the Army and Navy and is now beginning her internship in the Air Force, while Sofia, for now, is not expected to undergo any military training . The Infanta is also the first to pursue a degree outside of Spain . Felipe VI, for example, studied Law at the Autonomous University of Madrid and only later earned a master's degree at Georgetown University in the USA.

According to sources close to the royal family, interviewed by Vanitatis, the decision to choose Forward College was not easy and involved much discussion between the King and Queen . Sofia wanted an international destination where she could experience new cultures while still enjoying some privacy , which is practically impossible within Spain. However, the Queen's first choice was an arts program, which the King and Queen disagreed with, considering that a Political Science and International Relations program would be more suitable for the second-in-line to the throne. Felipe and Letizia ultimately accepted the final choice due to its geographical proximity—since Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin allow for a quick commute of up to two and a half hours to Spain when needed.

In her second year, Sofía's course moves to the French capital, more specifically to the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris , where Forward is based alongside hundreds of other French and international universities. It is the largest accommodation for students and researchers in the region, welcoming young people of 150 nationalities each year in its more than 40 houses, while classes are held in study rooms or the library. The school estimates that students can spend between 16,000 and 20,000 euros on accommodation, food, and general services during their year studying in Paris. In Berlin, she is studying for her third year at the Forward College center, located within a coworking space in Kreuzberg . In the German capital, the college has partnerships with four student residences, with prices ranging from 550 to 1,200 euros per month.