I am a social scientist with a strong academic background, holding bachelor's and master's degrees in Sociology from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, as well as a PhD in Social Sciences, from the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Lusófona University, I am deeply involved as a full researcher at its Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Education and Development – CeiED. At CeiED, I am also an integral member of its Scientific Board, serving as one of the coordinators of the research community on Public Policies and Governance in Education (PPGE), a member of OP.Edu (Observatory for Education and Training Policies), and a researcher representative on the Doctoral College’s coordinating committee. Additionally, I contribute as an external collaborator researcher at the Centre for Research in Higher education Policies – CIPES, affiliated with the Universities of Porto and Aveiro. My research journey is driven by a strong interest in higher education (HE) policies and institutional and organisational analysis. I delve into understanding the impact of policies in HE institutions’ structures, processes, practices, and the experiences of key-actors, notably students and academics. Exploring the intricate dynamics within institutions, I have extended my focus to include gender issues and doctoral education into my research. In my recent exploration of doctoral education studies, I initially emphasised the structural transformations of the doctorate. Over time, my research has expanded to include specific aspects of doctoral education, particularly supervision. As an expert in the field of doctoral education, I have advised the Education and Science Commission of the Portuguese Republic Assembly. on a legislative initiative concerning the awarding of doctorates by polytechnic institutions, through amendments to the Basic Law of the Educational System and the Legal Regime of Higher Education Institutions. I was also invited by the OECD to participate in a Higher Education Policy Discussion on Doctoral Education Quality Assurance. My extensive research experience in higher education research predates the completion of my PhD in 2009, secured with a FCT PhD scholarship. This research experience is reflected in my multifaceted research roles, including participation as a research member in nationally and internationally competitively funded projects, institutionally sponsored international studies, and privately funded national studies. I have also taken leadership roles as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI in privately funded studies and contributed as a research consultant to studies and analyses supported by various national and international bodies/agencies. With a prolific publication record, I have authored over sixty peer-reviewed academic works, spanning national and predominantly international publications. These include 2 books, 17 book chapters, 2 book editions, 39 journal articles, 10 articles in conference proceedings. My involvement extends to other publications, such as 13 study reports, 3 opinion articles, and 1 glossary. The volume and credibility of my research outputs can be verified through various scientific IDs, including Orcid (0000-0001-6504-8468), Scopus (38360973100), Web of Science (1509195) Google Schoolar, or Research Gate (researchgate.net/profile/Sonia-Cardoso). Beyond my individual contributions, I actively engage in academic communities as a member of several esteemed organisations, including the Portuguese Sociological Association (APS), the Consortium of Higher Education Researchers (CHER), and the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), where I also participate in the SRHE Postgraduate Issues Network. I have contributed to COST ACTION CA20137, “Making Young Researchers' Voices Heard for Gender Equality (VOICES)”, and, since 2024, have been an invited member of the International Centre for the Comparative Study of Doctoral Education (ICCSDE).