Catholic University of Portugal


The Catholic University of Portugal, also referred to as Católica or UCP for short, is the only concordat university of the Catholic Church in Portugal. It is a "free" and "autonomous" university "of public utility" recognized by the Portuguese State.
UCP is organized as a university system, made up of four major centres: Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Viseu. These include 20 faculties, schools and institutes, which are the basic education and research units. Besides the four centres in Portugal, UCP also has the University of Saint Joseph in Macau as its affiliate.
UCP has more than 11,000 students and 7,549 postgraduate students. The current and 6th President of UCP is Professor Isabel Capeloa Gil. It is the best Portuguese university according to the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Ranking.

History

The Catholic University of Portugal was established in 1967 by decree of the Holy See, at the request of the Portuguese Bishop's conference and under Concordat Law. It was founded in 1967 and gained official recognition in 1971.
Its first constituent Faculty was the Jesuit-owned and run Faculty of Philosophy of Braga. However, the University was soon extended to Lisbon where it opened, in 1968, the Faculty of Theology and, in 1971, the Faculty of Human Sciences.
The Portuguese government's official recognition of UCP occurred in 1971, via decree-law 307/71, which acknowledged the Catholic University as on a par with the other Portuguese universities and conferred on the degrees it grants - presently Licentiate, Master and Doctorate, - the same value and the same effects as those awarded by State universities.
The late 1970s and 1980s saw the establishment and development in Portugal of a privately owned sector in higher education. Within that context, there has been a generalized acceptance of the distinctive position held by the Catholic University - a public, non-State and non-profit-seeking institution.
In 1978, the UCP extended its campus to Porto, launching the first Law program in Porto, although the establishment of the Regional Nucleus of Porto was later in 1983, which since 1994 has been called Porto Regional Centre. In 1980, the University extended once again, this time to Viseu, but only in 1993 was the Beiras Regional Centre, currently Viseu Regional Centre, established.
Nowadays, and following the general trend in Portugal and abroad, UCP enjoys a large degree of autonomy in the creation and running of new campuses, faculties and courses.
Currently it has, among others, the well known courses of Business, Economics, Architecture, Law, Media and Cultural Studies, Civil Engineering and Dental Medicine.
In 2017, the Catholic University of Portugal celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Rankings

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Catholic University of Portugal is recognized as the #1 University in Portugal, among 13 Portuguese Higher Education institutions that integrate the 2020 edition. UCP rose 300 places in the most recent edition of the ranking, now occupying the position 351 at a world level.
According to the QS World University Rankings, the Catholic University of Portugal is within the world's 600 best universities.
According to rankings published by the Financial Times, the Catholic University School of Business and Economics is one of the best schools in Portugal and in Europe.

Teaching units

The Catholic University of Portugal is a national university composed by the Headquarters in Lisbon and three regional centres in Porto, Braga and Viseu, each one including several schools, faculties, institutes and departments.

Lisbon (headquarters)

The campus of Palma de Cima extends over an area of about, plus a separate area of approximately, which will be briefly built.
There are three buildings in a total area of, which include classrooms, auditoriums, computer rooms, the John Paul II University Library, the Rectory, administrative and school services, a Congress Centre, bars, canteens and restaurant, associative and social spaces, the bookstore, the stationery and copy centre.
In Lisbon operate the following faculties and institutes:

Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics

Founded in 1989, the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics is one of the Business School in Portugal.
The school offers undergraduate degrees in management, economy, international undergraduate in management and international undergraduate in economics; masters of science taught entirely in English, in management, economics, finance, management with specialization in strategic marketing, management with specialization in strategy & entrepreneurship, and in business. Cátolica-Lisbon also has executive masters programs in finance, management with a specialization in leadership development, management with a specialization in strategic marketing, management with a specialization in digital innovation and management with a specialization in finance and control. The school also offers executive programs, related to management, finance, innovation, healthcare management, among others.
Cátolica-Lisbon also has a master's in business administration program, which is a joint-venture between Catholic University of Portugal and Universidade Nova de Lisboa. The partnership includes a full-time one year degree, in partnership with MIT Sloan School of Management and a part-time degree. The two universities that offer this program hold accreditation, from the Association for MBAs, the European Foundation for Management Development and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Cátolica-Lisbon has a research unit entitled Católica Lisbon Research Unit in Business and Economics.

Faculty of Human Sciences

Founded in 1972, the Faculty of Human Sciences offers programs focused on communication sciences, social sciences, culture studies, philosophy and psychology. The faculty went through a restructuring process in 1991, after the establishing of the Faculties of Law and of Economics and Business Sciences, implementing new degree programs. Throughout the years, the Faculty has been acknowledged by Eduniversal, which annually evaluates thousands of programs in 30 fields of knowledge, prepares the ranking based on the reputation of the courses, the level of employability and the degree of student satisfaction.
The faculty offers undergraduate programs in social and cultural communication studies, applied foreign languages, social work, psychology and philosophy – B-Learning; master's degrees in communication studies, culture studies, psychology in business and economics, education sciences, family studies, Asian studies, philosophy, psychology of wellbeing and health promotion, social work, translation, linguistics for teachers of English as a foreign language, and Portuguese as a foreign language/second language; doctoral degrees in communication studies, international doctoral program in culture studies, translation studies, history, and social work; as well as a variety of post-graduate and advanced training programs.
The Faculty of Human Sciences integrates four research centres: Research Centre for Communication and Culture, Research Centre for Philosophy, Research Centre for Portuguese Speaking Peoples and Cultures, and Católica Research Centre for Psychological, Family and Social Wellbeing.

Católica | Lisbon School of Law

The Católica | Lisbon School of Law was founded in 1989, although the first undergraduate degree in Law from Catholic University of Portugal took place in 1976, as part of the Faculty of Human Sciences.
The Católica | Lisbon School of Law offers an undergraduate degree in Law; Master's programs in Master of Laws – Administrative Law, Master of Law & Business, Master of Laws – Corporate Law, Master of Laws – Taxation, Master of Laws – Litigation, and Master of Transnational Law; LL.M. Law in a European and Global Context, and in International Business Law; Ph.D. Programme in Law and Global Ph.D. Programme; and Post-Graduate Programmes and Intensive and Short Courses.
Throughout the years, a couple of programs have been distinguished by Eduniversal and Financial Times.
The Católica | Lisbon School of Law has a research unit of generalist scope, entitled Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law, created in 2012.

Faculty of Theology

The Faculty of Theology was founded in 1968. Apart from being established in Lisbon, the School also operates in Braga and Porto since 1987.
The Faculty of Theology offers an undergraduate program in Religious Sciences, a master's degree in Religious Studies, an Integrated Master in Theology, a master's degree in Religious Sciences, a Doctorate in Theology, a Post-Doctorate program, non-awarding degree courses and Distance Learning programmes.
The Faculty of Theology has two research units: Research Centre for Theology and Religious Studies and Centre of Religious History Studies.

Higher Institute of Canonical Law

Founded in 2004, the Institute of Higher Canon Law was canonically erected by the Holy See as an Institute ad instar facultis, representing a teaching and research unit. The Institute follows the previous Centre for the Study of Canon Law, created in 1989.
The Institute for Higher Canon Law offers a program that deepens the study of Canon Law, in which a Diploma in Canon Law can be obtained.

Institute of Political Studies

The Institute for Political Studies was founded in 1997. It is the only Portuguese academic institute that integrates the association EUROPAEUM, a group of leading universities from Europe.
The Institute provides its students with an undergraduate program in Political Science and International Relations; master's degrees in Political Science and International Relations: Security and Defense, Political Science: Governance and International Relations, Governance, Leadership and Democracy Studies; Double Degrees in European Studies and Governance, Leadership and Democracy Studies in partnership with Jagiellonian University – Poland, and in International Studies and Governance, Leadership and Democracy Studies in partnership with Pázmány Péter Catholic University – Hungary; a doctoral degree in Political Science and International Relations: Security and Defense; a Post-Graduate program and Advanced Training Programs.
IEP has two research units: Centre for European Studies, led by Professor José Manuel Durão Barroso, and Research Centre of the Institute for Political Studies, which is an R&D unit funded by the FCT – Science and Technology Foundation.

Institute for Religion Studies

The Institute for Religion Studies is integrated in the Faculty of Theology, functioning in partnership with the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences and the School of Arts. Founded in 2017, the institute offers Advanced Training Programs.

Institute of Health Sciences

Founded in 2004, the Institute of Health Sciences functions at a national level, with presence in Lisbon and Porto. The institute is composed by the Católica School of Nursing, one in each city.
The Institute of Health Sciences in Lisbon offers an undergraduate degree in Nursing; master's degrees in Nursing, Portuguese Sign Language and Education for the Deaf, Neuropsychology, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurosciences, and in Palliative Care; and Doctoral programs in Nursing, and Cognition and Language Sciences.

Porto Regional Centre

In 1978, the Catholic University of Portugal extended to Porto, with the creation of the Propaedeutic Year of the Law Course, but it was only in 1983 that the Regional Nucleus of Porto was created, which since 1994 has been called Regional Centre.
The Foz Campus is located next to Foz Velha and includes seven teaching units. It consists of the Arts Building, the Central Building, the Américo Amorim Building, the Paraíso Building and the Restoration Building.
The Porto Regional Centre is composed by the following teaching units:

Católica Porto Business School

Católica Porto Business School was founded in 1987, starting to teach Management as an extension of the Faculty of Human Sciences based in Lisbon. In 1996, the School also became responsible for teaching Economics in Porto, as an extension of the Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, in Lisbon.
In 2001, the Faculty of Economics and Management of the UCP was created in Porto. A year later, the Católica Porto Business School, in partnership with important business associations and other universities, began to encompass all the activity of Executive Education.
Today, the Católica Porto Business School has a wide range of programs consisting of a degree programme in Economics and Management and a double degree in Law and Management, as well as Master's programs in Auditing and Taxation, Business Economics, Finance, Management, Human Resources Management and Marketing. Within the scope of Executive Training, Católica Porto Business School has MBA's, executive courses, sectorial and customized Post-Graduations and also Abroad Training.
In addition to the formative offer, Católica Porto Business School develops a structured research activity through multiple Centres and Laboratories: CEGE - Research Centre in Management and Economics; two applied research laboratories, LEAD.lab, a leading knowledge centre, and SLab - Service Management Lab - a competence centre of Católica Porto Business School of the Portuguese Catholic University, which aims to produce and transfer knowledge that can contribute to increase the productivity, quality and innovation of industries and service-related tasks.
Católica Porto Business School also has consulting services available through CEGEA - Centro de Estudos de Gestão e Economia Aplicada.

Faculty of Biotechnology

The School of Biotechnology started its activity as an institute of higher education in 1984.
Currently, ESB offers three degree courses in Bioengineering, Microbiology and Nutrition Sciences; four master's courses in Food Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology and Innovation, European Master in Food Science, Technology and Business; doctoral programs in Biotechnology, in Science, Food Technology and Nutrition. The School also has several Post-Graduate programs.
In parallel with its academic activity, ESB has created and developed a research centre, Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry which, since 2004, has the status of a laboratory associated with the State and develops activities in the area of Biotechnology, specifically in the Food and Environmental areas and its relationship with quality of life and well-being. One of the capabilities of CBQF is to provide scientific services to the community and different industries.

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Founded in April 2007, by decision of the Grand Chancellor D. José da Cruz Policarpo, the existence of the Faculty of Education and Psychology dates back to 1997, when the Institute of Education was created.
Currently it offers a degree in Psychology and master's degrees in Educational Sciences, in Psychology, and in Psychology and Human Resources Development. In terms of doctorates, it offers a doctoral program in Educational Sciences, whose first edition took place in 2007-2008 and extended, in a national context, to editions in Viseu and Lisbon and, in an international context, to Mozambique. Since 2019, it also offers a PhD Program in Applied Psychology - Adaptation and Change in Contemporary Societies, a joint degree with two European Higher Education Institutions - Universitat Ramon Lluli and Nothingham Trent University. This program contributes to the development of relevant research in the field of Psychology and enables future PhD graduates to receive high quality training in an international context. This 3rd Cycle training offer in Psychology is the first in Portugal, both inter-university and international. The Faculty also promotes a number of postgraduate courses.
The research activity is part of the Research Centre for Human Development. Formally created in 2013, although it has been the research aggregator of the Faculty since 2008, it takes a broad and multidimensional look at human development, covering all the stages of the life cycle, considering and analysing the various transitions that guide the paths of life. It has human and material resources and infrastructures, such as the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory.
The action of the FEP also includes the provision of services to the community through: the University Clinic of Psychology, which constitutes a support structure for the activity in the area of Psychology; the Support Service for the Improvement of Education which aims to promote the improvement of the quality of the processes and educational results of Portuguese schools; the Community Service which allows the students of the degree in Psychology to develop voluntary work.

Faculty of Law - School of Porto

The Católica Porto Law School was distinguished for having created the first law degree in the history of Porto and the North of the country, in 1978. Later, it was again a pioneer in becoming the first Law School to implement the Bologna Declaration, in 2003, and the first to launch a Double Degree, in 2015.
It currently offers a law degree and a double degree in law and management, in partnership with the Católica Porto Business School. In terms of 2nd cycle, it offers two masters: in Law and in Law and Management. In terms of 3rd Cycle, it offers a PhD in Law. The Faculty has the International Law Program, available to undergraduate students, and promotes the attendance of academic mobility programs at universities around the world. In addition to the degree courses, more than a dozen postgraduate courses are also offered, some in association with other entities.
The new research demands have led to the creation of the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law, a generalist legal research unit that aims to promote a profound change in the legal research paradigm in Portugal. CEID obtained the classification of "Very Good" in the last two evaluations carried out by FCT, which places it among the best ranked law research centres in Portugal. Within the scope of CEID, two observatories have been created: Observatory on Competition Law Enforcement and the Special Vulnerable Victims Observatory; two periodic publications: Católica Law Review and Market and Competition Law Review.

Faculty of Theology

The Faculty of Theology was founded in 1968. In addition to being present in Lisbon, the Faculty operates in Braga and Porto since 1987.
In 1989 the opening of the Degree Course in Religious Sciences took place at the Regional Nucleus of Porto.
Today, the Faculty of Theology of the Porto Regional Centre offers a degree program in Religious Sciences; Master's degrees in Religious Studies, in Religious Sciences and integrated master's degree in Theology; Doctorate in Theology; Continuing Education.
The Faculty of Theology has two research units: Centre for the Study of Religious History and Centre for Research in Theology and Religious Studies.

Institute of Bioethics

The Institute of Bioethics was created by the Higher Council of the Catholic University of Portugal, in July 2002, with the commitment to extend and adapt the work of the Bioethics Research Office to new developments in science and technology.
With the objective of establishing a multidisciplinary approach to the complex challenges of today's society and attentive to the advances and ethical contours of progress, the IB develops a wide field of activities, assuming two major pillars of action: Training and Research.
In terms of training, the IB has a PhD program in bioethics and advanced training in bioethics.
In the field of research, the IB develops multiple projects at the international level.

Institute of Health Sciences

The Institute of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Portugal is an academic unit under the terms of article 17 of the statutes of the UCP. It was created in Lisbon on January 20, 2004, with the purpose of coordinating the areas of knowledge that incorporate issues of Biomedicine and Health. Subsequently, the ICS was extended to Porto and integrated the health courses already in operation at the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia: degree and master in Nursing; degree in Health Technologies and the master's degree in HIV/AIDS. Since the beginning he has also been part of the Health Sciences Department of the Beiras Regional Centre.
In 2006, within the scope of the ICS, the Escola Superior Politécnico de Saúde was created, which included the Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Imaculada Conceição and the Escola Superior de Enfermagem de São Vicente de Paulo, which became respectively the Unidade de Ensino de Enfermagem do Porto and the Unidade de Ensino de Enfermagem de Lisboa. In addition to the degree in Nursing, this school also offered a course in Health Technologies, which had already been discontinued. On 30 September 2015, the Higher Council of the University approved the change of name from Polytechnic School of Health to Nursing School, maintaining two units: Nursing School and Nursing School.
The Institute of Health Sciences at the Porto Regional Centre offers a degree in Nursing; Master's programmes in Nursing, Advanced Nursing and in Gerontology and Geriatric Care; and a PhD programme in Nursing. The ICS at the Porto Regional Centre also offers Postgraduate Studies, Advanced Training and Continuous Training.

School of Arts

Founded in 1996, the School of Arts of Catholic University of Portugal is based in the city of Porto.
Currently the School of Arts of the Porto Regional Centre offers degrees dedicated to Conservation and Restoration, and Sound and Image; master's degrees in Cinema, Sound and Image, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets, Photography, Management of Creative Industries, Music Education; and doctorates dedicated to Science, Technology and Art, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets, and Heritage Studies.
The School of Arts also offers Post-Graduate programs in Curatorship, Study and Documentation of Contemporary Art, and Sacred Music, as well as free courses in various areas.
The School of Arts has three research centres: Digital Creativity Centre, Centre for Conservation and Restoration, and Centre for Research and Technology of Arts.

Braga Regional Centre

The Braga Regional Centre of the Catholic University of Portugal integrates the buildings of the Camões Campus, the Praça da Faculdade, and Rua de Santa Margarida. The Camões Campus, located on Rua de Camões, comprises the buildings of the Central Services of the Regional Centre, the School Services and facilities for the teaching service of the Faculties, as well as the parking lot and the Miradouro do Sagrado Coração de Jesus.
The Braga Regional Centre is composed by the following Faculties:

Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences

Founded on June 1, 2015, continuing the Faculty of Philosophy, founded by the Companhia de Jesus in 1947 – the oldest university institution in the city of Braga and the first Faculty of the Catholic University of Portugal –, and the most recent Faculty of Social Sciences, created in Braga in 2001.
The Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences maintains the existing courses in the two faculties that originated it, these being the degrees in Philosophy, Social Service, Psychology, Communication Sciences, Tourism, Portuguese and Spanish Studies, ICT, Design and Visual Arts and Sciences of Artistic and Cultural Heritage; masters in Philosophy, Literature, Psychology, Tourism, Communication, Teaching Portuguese and Spanish, Teaching of Visual Arts, Heritage, Gerontology and Educational Sciences.

Faculty of Theology

In 1977, the Congregation for Catholic Education granted the Instituto Teológico de Braga the status of a Higher Education School affiliated to the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Portugal, with the capacity to confer to its students the academic bachelor's degree by that Faculty. From October 1, 1987, the Instituto Superior de Teologia was transformed into an integral part of the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Portugal. Together with the Porto Regional Centre and the UCP Headquarters in Lisbon, it constitutes the Faculty of Theology.

Viseu Regional Centre

The campus of Viseu covers an area of approximately and consists of five buildings. It has computer centers, translation-interpretation rooms, study and research laboratories, a multimedia room with videoconference facilities, auditoriums, a library and a university dental clinic.
The Viseu Regional Centre is composed by the following teaching units:

Faculty of Dental Medicine

Previously known as the Institute of Health Sciences, in 2019 it became the Faculty of Dental Medicine. It offers an undergraduate program in biomedic sciences, an integrated master's degree in dental medicine, a specialization in oral surgery, and a post-graduate course in clinical periodontology.

Institute of Management and Health Organisations

Founded in 2019, the Institute of Management and Health Organisations is the result of a change in the name of the former Department of Economics, Management and Social Sciences, the latter being created in 2006.
The Institute of Management and Health Organisations offers an undergraduate program in management, as well as a master's degree in management; post-graduate courses in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, psychological assessment in the field of SEN, social gerontology, family conflict management, management of social incubators, social innovation, models of psychosocial intervention in children, youth and families, sustainable entrepreneurship, quality management in the third sector, service management, and management of social organizations; and advanced training in psychological assessment and reporting, volunteer management, management of small health units, and management control, accounting and taxation.

Research Units

Catholic University of Portugal hosts 15 research centres among its faculties and institutes, that focus in the fields of arts and technologies, education and psychology, philosophy, biotechnology and chemistry, health sciences, political science, business and economics, history, social sciences, communication and culture, law, theology and religious studies:
Researchers1177
Average university-company interface projects per year159
Scientific Publications1954
Patents40
Scientific Awards39
Cultural & Artistic Productions242
Conferences & Seminars372
International Research and Teaching Networks50

In 2017, 17.3% of all UCP students were of international origin, from five continents and around 90 countries, including Germany, Brazil, Italy, Angola, China, Spain, Guinea Bissau, France, Cape Verde and the Netherlands.
Along with having programmes for international students, UCP has partnerships with international higher education institutions, offering its students the possibility of choosing Double Title Programmes and Joint Graduate Programmes. UCP runs Double Title Programmes and Joint Graduate Programmes in the fields of Management and Economics, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, and Health and Technology.

Presidents

Faculty