University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro

​Situated in the north-eastern city of Vila Real, The University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) became a fully-fledged Public University in 1986, although its history also includes a valuable heritage received from its predecessor, the Vila Real Polytechnic Institute, created in 1973. This Institute took on a relevant role in the development of the region, and in September 1979, it was converted into the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro Higher Education Institute. It was due to the intense activity in the fields of teaching and scientific and technological research that, less than ten years later, the Government granted its status as a qualified University. Today UTAD is widely recognized as a significant reference in the Portuguese university system. As specified in its Statutes, UTAD’s core objectives are high quality Teaching, Research and Community Outreach, striving to be a Centre of Excellence for lifelong learning and for the creation, transmission and dissemination of culture, science and technology. By choosing teaching and research fields that meet the national needs and are not yet exhausted on the labour market, UTAD has earned its rightful place among the new generation of Portuguese universities. UTAD has an ability to adapt to new situations, balancing the resources available with modern teaching methods, and being able to propose new ways of learning and distributing scientific knowledge. This flexibility is irrefutable proof of the University’s vitality, which justifies its assertion within the Portuguese University System.