University Beira Interior

The University of Beira Interior (UBI) is one of the youngest public universities in
Portugal and a member of the UNITA (Universitas Montium), an alliance of 6
European mountain Universities (Universita degli Studi di Torino – Italy, Universidad
de Zaragoza – Spain, Universitatea de Vest din Timişoara, Romania, Université
Savoie Mont Blanc and Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour – France), all
Romanic language speaking, and committed to foster the socio-economic
development of rural and cross-border mountain areas. Established on the concepts
of European identity, intercomprehension, multiculturalism and sustainability,
UNITA aims to develop a European Research Area on three major topics: cultural
heritage, renewable energies, and circular economy. Nonetheless, UBI’s education
and research activities cover nearly all areas of knowledge. UBI human resources
account more than 1100 employees, of which more than 800 are academic staff and
researchers.
UBI has about 9000 undergraduate and postgraduate students allocated to the
Faculties of Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities, Arts and Letters,
and Health Sciences, and 33 Bachelor, 45 Master, 29 Doctoral degrees and 31 Post-
Doctoral degrees. Teaching is the UBI's primary task to prepare students to be free
and autonomous people, capable of making rational decisions, contributing with
quality to the challenges of the labour market, and assuming norms of conduct that
favour the common good, the principles of transparency and respect for diversity.
UBI's training offer is also committed to lifelong learning, recently creating 140 new
postgraduate courses. Implementing innovative teaching methodologies,
developing strategies to counteract drop out and offering internships and
entrepreneurial training are also strategic areas continuously being improved.
UBI is committed to advancing knowledge and technology and developing
innovative products and solutions for industry and society. Fundamental and applied
research activities are developed within 18 R&D units through national and
international projects and consortia, in close collaboration with regional, national,
and international industry partners and other organizations. The UBI R&I ecosystem
also includes the incubator/accelerator UBIMedical/UBIExecutive, which develops
and nurtures the relationship between academia and corporate stakeholders. The
Innovation and Development Office that includes the technology transfer office,
supports R&D projects management, and researchers in evaluation of intellectual property, licensing and commercialization, and the dissemination and
implementation of technologies developed at UBI into the market / industry.
UBI has participated in numerous national and international funded R&D projects
and more than 30 Erasmus+ projects.
UBI quality in teaching, research and innovation has been recognized by the
presence in the U-Multirank, in the Top 200 of THE Young University Ranking, and in
the level 601-800 at THE’s World Universities Ranking.