About the IPC

We are a public institute of higher education, which is composed of six schools (Coimbra College of Agriculture (ESAC), Coimbra College of Education (ESEC), Oliveira do Hospital College of Technology and management (ESTGOH), Coimbra College of Health Technology (ESTEsC) and Coimbra Institute of Accounting and Administration (ISCAC) and Coimbra Institute of Engineering (ISEC), Social Welfare Services (SAS) and the President Services (PS).

As one may deduce from the names of our schools, the Institute has to offer a large variety of studies, which also include cross-border education in partnership with other European institutions of higher education, for both bachelor’s and master degree levels.

We participate in a number of international mobility programmes and we value cooperation projects with European countries and Portuguese-speaking countries. Academic social welfare is particularly important for us in terms of scholarships, meals and accommodation. For this purpose the SAS seek to provide to each student personalised support, although focusing in particular on the most disadvantaged students in order to provide them with the financial means to carry out their studies.

The Institute possesses halls of residence and canteens located in different parts of the city so as to provide the suitable services to our student population, which is scattered like our schools. We also have to offer the whole community of the IPC a medical clinic with several medical specialties of conventional and complementary medicine, a cardio fitness and weight training gym, a sporting ground, as well as other sporting facilities which we hold in partnership with other entities.

Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra cultivates several partnerships, either with institutions of higher education or with other entities in education, research, service provision or sports and culture, which we share synergies and points in common. We wish to provide to our students not only a place where they may receive higher education, but also an environment favoring complete intellectual development, consolidating civic education in a broad sense, in order to deliver to our country and world citizens who will work towards a sustainable future, a future of progress, a tomorrow filled with hope.

BUILDING THE FUTURE TODAY

Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra was created in 1979 when polytechnic education was introduced in Portugal. In spite of the IPC’s recent history, it inherited the tradition and experience of the colleges which became part of it, thus becoming today one of the largest polytechnics in the country and one of the most important institutions of higher education in Portugal. Today it encompasses six colleges:


    Coimbra College of Agriculture (ESAC)
    Coimbra College of Education (ESEC)
    Oliveira do Hospital College of Technology and Management (ESTGOH)
    Coimbra College of Health Technology (ESTeSC)
    Coimbra Institute of Accounting and Administration (ISCAC)
    Coimbra Institute of Engineering (ISEC)

as well as the:

    Social Welfare Services (SAS)
    President Services (PS)

The image which the IPC today projects in the scope of higher education in Portugal (as the high number of applicants witnesses), the courses made available at its schools, as well as the excellent employment record, all is the result of the Polytechnic’s quality teaching (where the strong practical component is based on solid theoretical education) and, equally important, the constant concern of adapting the courses to the labour market and the country’s needs.
Furthermore, the Polytechnic invests much in inter-institutional cooperation, internationalization, career advisory services and professional training of its collaborators.

Mission & Purposes:

Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra’s mission is to train professionals with the characteristics and skills required to fulfill the region and the country’s developmental demands.

The goals of Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, as an institution of higher education, are:

providing high quality education in both cultural, scientific, artistic, technological and professional fields;
encouraging applied research activities;
providing services to the regional community, aiming joint development;
developing exchange programmes with similar national and international institutions;
contributing - through its activities - to an international cooperation and the meeting of peoples and communities.