Founded in 1988, Universidade Aberta is Portugal’s distance public higher education institution. By vocation and nature, Universidade Aberta provides higher education (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees) and Lifelong Learning courses anywhere in the world through distance learning, in the form of e-learning, asserting itself through the use of digital technologies and innovative, inclusive and sustainable pedagogical approaches.
In 2008, upon recognition of its Virtual Pedagogical Model (Modelo Pedagógico Virtual®), Universidade Aberta is considered a European reference institution in the advanced field of e-learning and online learning. Since then, our commitment to quality has been a constant, as evidenced by the several distinctions we have received: in 2016, the recognition by EFQM, which awarded us 4 stars in the 2nd Level of Excellence of Recognized for Excellence; in 2017, the certification under Standard 27001 by the Portuguese Certification Association, recognizing the security of our e-learning platform; and in 2019, having become the first Portuguese university to be distinguished for good practices in innovation and sustainability in higher education, having received the Bronze Seal of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. In 2018, we were also decorated as Honorary Member of the Order of Merit by the President of the Portuguese Republic.
Today, Agenda 2030 and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Europe 2020 Strategy, the European Union’s agenda for the modernization of universities, the renewed Agenda for Higher Education, the Framework Programme 2020, Horizon Europe and the Erasmus+ Programme, and especially the Legal Regime for Distance Learning require Universidade Aberta to play an active and decisive role.
