Strategic Guidelines

VISION
Investing judiciously and unequivocally in the conditions necessary to increase the quality and quantity of international level knowledge production with high impact on society.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Promoting interdisciplinarity by means of the creation of strategic areas, with multidisciplinary approaches able to respond to societal challenges.

Stimulating scientific activity, by enhancing the presence of the University of Coimbra in scientific networks, diversifying external funding and strengthening support in the search for opportunities and partnerships, in the submission of applications and in the execution of projects.

Boosting scientific production and promoting its dissemination, by enhancing intellectual property and creating incentive systems for professors and researchers with high impact scientific activity.

Mapping, updating and ensuring visibility to the scientific and technological installed capacity in the University of Coimbra Group.

Consolidating the innovation ecosystem of the University of Coimbra, by supporting entrepreneurship, business incubation and acceleration, based on the research undertaken.

VISION
Rationalising the pedagogical offer in light of “Bologna” in a logic of efficiency and close coordination with research, by promoting student-centred teaching for the acquisition of skills, developing innovative pedagogical projects capable of increasing the quality of the teaching-learning process and promoting the attraction of new audiences.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Innovating and adapting pedagogical models to 4.0 teaching, by offering excellence in the assimilation of knowledge and skills and in the results achieved.

Attracting the best students and enhancing the cross-cutting acquisition of competences, by offering students an excellence preparation and taking research activities into consideration.

Expanding training opportunities, by meeting the needs of new audiences, offering different and attractive programmes for lifelong learning and implementing micro-awarding of credits options.

Strengthening the proximity and permanent interaction with the business community and other entities, by adjusting and co-creating training offers, ensuring workplace learning and promoting employability.

Promoting the quality of PhD training and increasingly recruit better PhD students, thus recognising the importance of the third cycle in knowledge production.

VISION
Creating conditions to act, react and interact with society in its different aspects by means of knowledge sharing and open science, thus contributing to the sustainable development in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Promoting interface and knowledge sharing with the business community, other entities and society at large, thus actively contributing to responding to societal challenges.

Developing and intensifying synergies with the various actors of the city and region, by enhancing the presence of the University of Coimbra in the region by means of partnerships and collaborative networks that contribute to sustainable development.

Socially and culturally enhancing the heritage and tourism, encouraging cultural and artistic activity and promoting university sports as an element of cohesion between the academia and the region.

Strengthening the bilateral relationship between the University of Coimbra and its former students, as a hub of ideas and experiences, by enhancing the presence of these alumni.

Consolidating the institutional policy of open science, by promoting good practices and the sharing of knowledge with the scientific community and society at large.

VISION
Asserting the global position of the University of Coimbra concerning the different mission pillars, by intensifying its presence in international networks, seeking strategic partnerships and maintaining its leadership within the scope of the Lusophone community.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Strengthening the leadership of the promotion of Lusophone community, its culture and identity matrix, and intensifying the relations with the CPLP countries, thus consolidating the position of the University of Coimbra as a reference institution for the Portuguese language.

Maintaining the international focus on emerging economies, by boosting the Coimbra Group of Brazilian Universities and strengthening the relations with other countries.

Increasing the attractiveness and international recognition of the University of Coimbra, by reinforcing its presence in networks and establishing bilateral strategic partnerships.

Reviewing the geostrategic definition of the University of Coimbra, by deepening its participation in relevant international organisations and attracting international events’ organisation to the UC.

Giving a strategic character to the mobility policy, by promoting the international mobility of the academic community, and reviewing the conditions offered to international students.

VISION
Valuing and caring for the academic community, assuming without hesitation that people are the most important asset of the University of Coimbra.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Encouraging dialogue, promoting active participation and establishing the posts of Ombudsman.

Dignifying and upgrading professional careers, by recruiting people following a perspective of human resources progression and rejuvenation.

Promoting professional and personal training, enhancing individual skills and strengthening the functions performed.

Facilitating the reconciliation between work, family and personal life, by recognising the efforts of the workers and promoting motivation.

Being a safe and healthy university and promoting the quality of life of the academic community.

VISION
Consolidating the high quality standards of the University of Coimbra in its wide range of fields, by simplifying and modernising procedures and improving efficiency in all the processes.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Promoting the revision of the statutes and fostering the strategic alignment of the entities that constitute the University of Coimbra Group.

Implementing monitoring and assessment models and tools capable of responding to the new institutional challenges.

Implementing innovation and modernisation projects that contribute to the simplification and improvement of the administrative procedures.

Optimising the management system of the University of Coimbra, by promoting the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the processes.

VISION
Enhancing campuses by improving the working conditions of the academic community, revitalising the buildings and making long-term strategic investments whenever possible.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Mapping the spaces and their use and elaborating a long-term integrated development plan of the buildings, enhancing therefore an efficient use.

Improving the facilities conditions by restoring and modernising spaces and enhancing safety, health and quality of life.

Qualifying and enhancing the outdoor spaces, by promoting permanent maintenance and improving accessibility.

Enhancing socially and culturally the historical and museum built heritage.

VISION
Ensuring the financial sustainability of the University of Coimbra, by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and generating efficiency gains, and investing in strategic projects and human resources capable of generating (tangible and intangible) returns.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Strengthening fundraising and diversifying funding, by focusing on competitive funding and own revenues.

Raising the governance accountability, the operational excellence and the management tools.

Defending the economic sustainability of higher education to ensure the fulfilment of its mission in society.

VISION
Disseminating the UC brand, thus ensuring national and international visibility and enhancing the attractiveness of the University of Coimbra, and promote the effectiveness of internal communication.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Developing an internal, personalised and close communication strategy that promotes alignment, cohesion and involvement.

Actively communicating the cross-cutting nature of the University of Coimbra’s activity, in an integrated and coordinated way, thus enhancing its attractiveness and prestige.

Making the UC brand a citizen of the world by promoting a proper image management and marketing actions that project its visibility and recognition.

VISION
Developing an environmental sustainability strategy that enables the University of Coimbra to be the first Portuguese university to achieve carbon neutrality and make academic community aware of the impact of behaviour change on the fight against climate change.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Promoting environmental and energy sustainability on the University of Coimbra campuses.

Encouraging behaviour change by means of the combat against waste and promoting an environmentally responsible campus.

Adopting a green public procurement policy and ensuring the financial sustainability of the implementation of environmental measures.

VISION
Promoting active, enlightened, socially responsible and inclusive citizenship, by preserving the right to have rights, respecting dignity, equality and the right to difference, so that everyone can reach their potential, in a collective formulation of common goals and challenges.

STRATEGIC GUIDELINES

Strengthening the social aid, by ensuring equity and the promotion of academic success, improving the living conditions of the student community and fighting inequalities.

Combating gender inequalities and ensuring equal opportunities by eliminating imbalances and barriers.

Promoting policies for social inclusion and protection of minorities, ensuring the right to difference and the right to have rights, by ensuring equal access and conditions to achieve success.

Promoting enlightened and responsible citizenship, social cohesion and human rights, by defending civilisational and ethical principles and contributing to the all-round training of citizens.