The process

Students can, individually or collectively, due to an action or omission by the bodies and services of the University and its Faculties, present to the Student Ombudsman: complaints; requests for support (academic-administrative, pedagogical, personal, associative and civic); consultations; as well as suggestions, namely about pedagogical, academic or social services issues.

• The description of the facts should be as objective as possible, unequivocally identifying the reasons for the communication and providing the necessary and relevant information for the verification of the facts (including documentation that may be attached for this purpose).
• All complaints, petitions or participations must be accompanied by the following items:
• Identification of the person who presents it or their representative, namely: name, student number (if any), address and contact details (phone and e-mail)
• Description (even if brief) of the acts or facts on which the request is based, as well as the identification, when applicable, of the involved parties;
• Explanation of the reasons that lead the author to consider the verified act or omission unfair, discriminatory or prejudicial to his/her legitimate interests;
• Indication of whether or not confidentiality is intended (cf. the information in the "Duty of confidentiality").

Following the report, the student will be contacted by phone or e-mail and, if necessary, at the request of the Student Ombudsman or if requested by the student, a hearing shall be scheduled to better ascertain the facts.

The complaints accepted by the Student Ombudsman shall be processed in a duly identified and numbered file. Following that, the Student Ombudsman shall proceed, by him/herself or through collaborators, to the diligence he/she considers necessary and adequate to verify the facts, aiming at the respective analysis and assessment and, considering the specificity of each case, issue recommendations, issue an opinion or prepare a report.

Before drawing any conclusions, the Student Ombudsman shall hear the bodies, teaching and non-teaching staff members in relation to whom the complaint, the the petition or participation was filed, allowing them to exercise their right to, in due time, provide all the necessary clarifications.

Until a recommendation is made, an opinion is issued or a report is prepared, the process shall remain open.

Once the inquiry process is completed, the student will be informed of the final opinion regarding the issue raised.

If, in the course of the proceedings, there is sufficient evidence of the practice of disciplinary infractions, the Student Ombudsman shall forward to the Rector, or to the competent body, the existing evidence for the exercise of disciplinary power;

In cases where the facts found suggest the practice of infractions of criminal nature, the Student Ombudsman shall inform the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Admissible complaints are closed when:

• The Student Ombudsman concludes that the participation is ill-founded or that there are insufficient elements for any procedure to be adopted;
• The illegality, injustice or irregularity invoked has already been resolved;
• The ANONYMOUS REPORT does not allow the investigation process to continue. The Students have to identify themselves and provide elements that allow the Student Ombudsman to contact them, either to establish the facts or to send the final conclusions. (Safeguarding according to the General Data Protection Regulation).