Universidade do Porto

The University of Porto (U.Porto) was founded in 1911 and is today among the top 100 universities in Europe and the top 350 in the world in the leading rankings.

In addition to excellence in education, U.Porto is also the largest producer of science in the country, with over 23% of Portuguese scientific articles indexed in the Web of Science (2015-2019). It also leads European patent applications and manages one of the most dynamic national innovation ecosystems: UPTEC.

The U.Porto campus integrates 14 colleges, a business school, 48 R&D units (43 evaluated “Excellent” or “Very Good”) and nine interface institutes. Over 30 thousand students attend the approximately 290 courses available, benefiting from the pedagogical and scientific skills of a highly qualified faculty (90% Ph.Ds).

The University has modern educational and research facilities, a network of 18 libraries and 12 museums, four sports complexes, 20 canteens and cafeterias, two e-learning cafés, and nine student residences. These infrastructures are framed by a green park, in Asprela, or near historic and very pleasant gardens.

U.Porto has been increasing its levels of internationalization. International students already account for about 20% of the student community, a fact not unrelated to the 168 Erasmus+ projects in which the University was involved between 2014 and 2020. Furthermore, U.Porto has strengthened its participation in international knowledge networks, being one of the founding institutions of the consortium EUGLOH – European University Alliance for Global Health, which comprises the Universities of Porto, Paris-Saclay, Lund, Ludwig-Maximilians of Munich and Szegued.

The increasing role of U.Porto in the promotion of culture, preservation and enhancement of heritage and support for artistic creation should also be noted. Due to its dynamism and scope, the Casa Comum project has placed the University among the most relevant cultural institutions in the city of Porto.

Rector’s Message

As Portugal’s leading higher education institution, the University of Porto, founded in 1911, is home to a vibrant and cosmopolitan academic community comprising approximately 3,900 faculty members and researchers and nearly 36,000 students, around 6,000 of whom are international, representing more than one hundred countries. The University encompasses 15 schools, 48 research units, and an associated business school, offering nearly 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across a wide range of academic disciplines.

The University’s commitment to excellence in education and research has enabled it to distinguish itself across multiple fields. It is Portugal’s largest producer of scientific publications and the national higher education institution with the highest number of active patent registrations.

Consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in Europe and the top 250 worldwide by the most prestigious international university rankings, the University of Porto is home to internationally recognised R&D centres and to the Science and Technology Park (UPTEC), which has established itself as a major catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. UPTEC has supported the growth of more than 800 business projects and contributed to the creation of approximately 4,000 highly qualified jobs.

The University of Porto’s growing international reputation enables it to participate in the world’s leading knowledge networks and to establish partnerships for the development of joint degree programmes with some of the world’s finest higher education institutions. It is also one of the founding members of EUGLOH – European University Alliance for Global Health, a consortium that brings together approximately 338,500 students from ten universities.

Ph. D. Pedro Teixeira