Portugal

Country in Europe

Capital: Lisbon
Dialing code: +351
Currency: Eurot
Prime minister: António Costa
Official language: Portuguese

Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain. Its location on the Atlantic Ocean has influenced many aspects of its culture: salt cod and grilled sardines are national dishes, the Algarve's beaches are a major destination and much of the nation’s architecture dates to the 1500s–1800s, when Portugal had a powerful maritime empire.

The Higher Education System

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Higher education in Portugal is divided into two subsystems: university education and non-university higher education (polytechnic education), and it is provided in autonomous public universities, private universities, polytechnic institutions and private higher educational institutions of other types. The two systems of higher education are linked and it is possible to transfer from one to the other. It is also possible to transfer from a public institution to a private one and vice-versa. University institutions may award “Licenciado”, “Mestre” and “Doutor” degrees while Polytechnic institutions award 1st cycle – “Licenciado” and 2nd cycle – “Mestre” degrees.

Universities in Portugal

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Five universities in Portugal feature in the QS World University Rankings® 2016/17, the highest entry being the University of Porto,which is placed at 323rd in the world. With a long history of well-respected universities, Portugal’s higher education system was ranked the 35th best in the world in the first edition of the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings.

As well as strong universities, Portugal is also home to a number of well-reputed polytechnics. The main difference between the two formats is that the universities have a greater focus on academic research, while the polytechnics are more focused on preparing students for a specific career path. Some subjects are only offered at either universities or polytechnics, but there’s also a lot of overlap. For example, both universities and polytechnics offer degrees in engineering, management and humanities subjects

Since 2006, Portugal has adopted the Bologna Process throughout its universities and polytechnics, a European reform process which aims to establish a common structure for higher education across Europe. In accord with this structure, Portuguese universities offer three levels of degree. These are: bachelor level or licenciatura, which usually takes between three and four years to complete; master level or mestrado, which takes one or two years; and doctorate level or duotoramento, which typically takes three years.

Most courses – especially at bachelor’s level – are taught in Portuguese. At graduate level, it’s more common to find English-taught programs, but it’s still definitely an asset to be able to speak the national language; this is not a country where you can rely on everyone being able to speak English.

University of Porto

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The University of Porto, ranked 323rd in the QS World University Rankings® 2016/17, is a public university located in the city of Porto. Founded in 1911, it has a large community of over 30,000 students, including around 3,280 international students. With a recent expansion of research and development activity, the University of Porto has developed a strong output of research. Among the most recognized of the school’s research centers are the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, the Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology and the Research Institute of Computer Systems.

University of Lisbon

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Making an impressive leap from 481-490 to joint 330th in the world in 2016, the University of Lisbon is the largest university in Portugal, home to over 47,000 students in 18 faculties. It was formed by the merger of the former Technical University of Lisbon (UTL) and the University of Lisbon (UL) in 2013, with the main University in Lisbon originally founded in 1911.

Universidade NOVA de Lisboa

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The third highest-ranked among Portuguese universities is the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, which stands at joint 366th in the world. Founded in 1973, the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, informally known as NOVA, has a student population of over 19,000. Located in Lisbon, the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa benefits from specialized faculties with a particular emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and FAME (finance, accounting, management and economics) subjects. The school also offers the Lisbon MBA, in partnership with Universidade Catolica Portuguesa.

University of Coimbra

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The oldest of all universities in Portugal is the University of Coimbra, established way back in 1290. Although the university has slightly moved down in the rankings in recent years it still holds a good position in the QS World University Rankings, at 451-460. Located in the city of Coimbra (the former national capital), with a student community of approximately 21,800, the university has a large proportion of international students and teaches across eight faculties, covering STEM subjects as well as arts and humanities.