1. Universidade do Minho
Universidade do Minho was established in 1973 and is located in the capital of Minho Province, Braga. It has 16,000 students, 1,100 faculty members, and 600 administrative, technical, and service staff, making it one of the largest institutions in Portugal. The university is divided into two campuses: the Braga campus houses the Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Management, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Education, and Faculty of Medicine, while the Guimarães campus has the Faculty of Engineering. Each faculty has its own graduate school. The undergraduate programs are either four or five years in duration, while the Faculty of Medicine has a six-year program. Courses are divided into theoretical and practical types, and in the last two years, students can choose their specialization.
The university participates in various European and global cooperation and student exchange programs. It has signed a friendly institution agreement with Beijing Language and Culture University and a student exchange and cooperative education agreement with Tianjin Foreign Studies University. In September 2005, after an evaluation of the Chinese language teaching situation at the University of Minho, the Confucius Institute was established here. In December of the same year, during the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and the Chinese education delegation to Portugal, the National Hanban and the University of Minho signed a framework agreement for the cooperative establishment of the Confucius Institute and issued the plaque for the Confucius Institute. In July 2006, during the Confucius Institute conference held in Beijing, both parties signed the execution agreement for the Confucius Institute. The institute officially launched a series of courses in October 2006.
2. Universidade de Coimbra
The University of Coimbra was founded in 1290 and is one of the five oldest universities in the world, as well as one of the oldest universities in Portugal and one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the most prestigious public university in Portugal, located in the ancient city of Coimbra, which was the capital of Portugal from 1139 to 1260, situated north of the capital Lisbon. The university has faculties of Arts, Law, Medicine, Science and Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology and Educational Sciences, and Sports, with over 22,000 students. The Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Medicine are ranked among the best in Portugal.
As Portugal's premier university, Coimbra has produced a large number of talents, including the famous poet Camões (1524-1580), the outstanding writer Eça de Queirós (1845-1900), and notable figures such as Andrew and António Nobel, and Afonso Costa, among others. It has also sent many scholars and professors to Brazil.
3. Universidade de Lisboa
The University of Lisbon is located in Campo Grande, Lisbon, with convenient transportation. The university consists of several main buildings surrounding a large green lawn. Although there are no walls, locals refer to this area as the "University City." The "University City" is home to important institutions of higher education in Lisbon. Established in 1911, it was one of the three universities in the country at that time (Coimbra, Lisbon, Porto). Currently, it has eight faculties: Literature, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Natural Sciences, Education and Psychology, Fine Arts, and Dentistry. Additionally, there are four graduate schools in Ophthalmology, Bacteriology, and Medicine, as well as the Prince Dom Luís Geophysical Research Institute and the Institute of Social Sciences. The university has 19,000 registered students, including 17,500 undergraduates, 1,300 master's students, and 200 doctoral students, with 1,644 faculty members. Law and Medicine are the university's strong programs. The University of Lisbon is one of the most important teaching and research centers in Portugal, and several groups of Chinese students have studied there.
4. Universidade Nova de Lisboa
The New University of Lisbon is a relatively young public university, established in 1973 to adapt to the reform requirements of higher education in Portugal at that time. It has since achieved numerous accomplishments and recognition in various academic fields. The university covers an area of 60 hectares and has three campuses located in Lisbon (Campolide, Caparica, and Avenida de Berna). It has five faculties and three research centers, with 14,200 students currently enrolled. In 2006, it enrolled undergraduates in 40 majors, master's students in 65 majors, and doctoral students in 20 majors. Its strengths lie in the fields of science and technology, medicine, and public health.
5. Universidade Técnica de Lisboa
The Technical University of Lisbon is an important institution of higher education in Portugal, serving as a hub for modern scientific research and education. Over the years, it has trained a large number of talents for scientific research in Portugal and Europe. Established in 1930, it initially had four faculties: the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Economic Management, and Faculty of Higher Technology. Subsequently, the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences was established in 1961, the Faculty of Sports in 1976, and the Faculty of Architecture in 1979. Currently, the university has 18,800 undergraduates, 2,600 master's students, 51 undergraduate programs, 109 master's programs, and 60 doctoral programs.
6. Universidade do Porto
The University of Porto is located in the northern industrial center of Portugal, Porto, and is one of the renowned universities in the country. It was established on March 22, 1911, through the merger of four specialized schools, including the Porto School of Navigation and Commerce. The University of Porto has more than ten faculties, including Architecture, Sports, Law, Economics, Engineering, Food and Nutrition, Medicine, Dentistry, Education and Psychology, and Biomedical Sciences. It has over 28,000 registered students, 60 undergraduate programs, and 120 master's programs, with more than 3,200 faculty and staff. The university has established inter-institutional cooperation with many universities in Europe and the United States.
7. Universidade de Aveiro
The University of Aveiro is a public university dedicated to providing higher education, graduate education, and serving society. Located in the city of Aveiro on the western coast of Portugal, it was founded in 1973 and quickly became one of the most innovative universities in Portugal. It has 10,886 students, with major research areas including Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, Economics, and Management. It is a rapidly developing and vibrant university focused on science and technology, with several high-level laboratories, such as the Siemens Laboratory in collaboration with Siemens Germany.
8. Universidade de Évora
The University of Évora was established in 1537 and is the second university founded in Portugal after the University of Coimbra, boasting a long history. It is located southeast of Lisbon, about two hours' drive from the capital. The University of Évora was built under the orders of King D. João III of Portugal, aiming to establish a theological university, and was later expanded in 1559 to create a complete educational system, excluding the Faculty of Medicine. Today, the University of Évora has developed into one of the most renowned public universities in Portugal. Like Coimbra, it is situated in a beautiful university town with a strong academic atmosphere.
