Education in Coimbra
Encyclopedia
Since early ages, Coimbra
developed into an important cultural centre, firstly due to the school founded in 1131 in the Santa Cruz Monastery
, essential on medieval times and a meeting point for the intellectual and power elites, where famous medieval figures studied, like Saint Anthony of Lisbon. Later the city saw its educational and cultural importance greatly improved because of the establishment of the University of Coimbra which was founded in the 13th century in Lisbon, was moved in 1308 for the first time to Coimbra and was settled definitely in the city in 1537. For this old tradition in education, Coimbra is called A cidade dos estudantes (The city of the students) and Lusa-Atenas (Lusitanic-Athens, after Athens
in Greece), because it is a center of culture and erudition, as well as the site of the oldest university which turned Coimbra into a noted university town.
The state-run secondary schools and 2nd and 3rd cycle of basic education schools in the municipality of Coimbra are the following:
There is also the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School.
, is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in Europe
and the World, the oldest university
in Portuguese-speaking countries, and one of the largest higher education
and research
institutions of Portugal. It is organized into eight different faculties
according to a wide range of fields, granting all the highest academic degrees in architecture, education, engineering, humanities, law, mathematics, medicine, natural sciences, psychology, social sciences and sports. It is among the Portuguese higher education institutions with the highest selectiveness and the largest number of applicants every year. It demands high entrance exam scores for admission into a large number of its most reputed departments.
higher education
in Coimbra, has been in operation since 1988, although some of its current schools were providing degrees independently since the 1970s, and even before some were technical or vocational
schools (for instance, the agriculture school - Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
- whose origins can be dated back to the 19th century, or the current engineering institute - Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra
- formerly an industrial school of intermediate education in operation between 1965 and 1974). It comprises several autonomous schools in engineering, education, accountancy, and agriculture, whose entrance and teaching requirements were less demanding than the University of Coimbra's until the adoption of several new selective admission criteria in 2005 (access rules to state-run institutions have enforced minimum grades of 95/200 in the national access examinations for all students nationwide) and a number of gradual changes in the Portuguese higher education initiated in 1998 - particularly the right to start providing licenciatura degrees like the universities, the enforced minimum grades in the access examinations since 2005, and finally, a gradual shift towards the Bologna process
in 2006 and 2007. Its schools currently have a number of reputed courses which are as selective or popular as certain average department's courses of the University of Coimbra, and in general they are allowed to award comparable degrees in some fields, excluding doctorate degrees.
, a public nursing school
providing degrees since the 1990s, but whose origins as a nursing and health training school can be dated back to the early 20th century, is other state-run learning institution in the city.
There are also private higher learning schools and institutes such as the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, the Instituto Superior Bissaya Barreto, the Escola Universitária das Artes de Coimbra, and the Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, which are not generally considered as prestigious as the old university, but some are noted for awarding degrees in fields not offered by it.
The city hosts also a regional branch of the Aberta University "Open University", a state-run institution of distance education
.
The long history and reputation of the University of Coimbra caused several newer public and private institutions of higher education created after 1974
, to unofficially attach themselves to the good name and notability of the historical old university in order to boost its marketing efforts and promote their image among potential students interested for studying in the city. This also happened with a few degrees offered by the old university itself which were never particularly reputed neither for strict selectiveness nor distinctive teaching standards (like, for example, UC's degrees in mining and geological engineering which were discontinued in the early 2000s due to lack of curricular academic integrity).
are two important student festivities in the city, and are part of the praxe académica (academic praxis) of Coimbra.
In general, almost all students from the different public and private institutions present today in the city, adopt and internally adapt the traditional student rituals and celebrate the festivities born in the ancient University of Coimbra (UC) like the praxe académica and the Queima das Fitas
which are yearly organized by UC's students. Non-UC students are invited to participate in the UC's public parties like Queima das Fitas and Festa das Latas parade
s through the streets of the town and in addition have their own adaptations for the rituals that are performed independently by school/institute.
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
developed into an important cultural centre, firstly due to the school founded in 1131 in the Santa Cruz Monastery
Santa Cruz Monastery
The Santa Cruz Monastery, The Santa Cruz Monastery, The Santa Cruz Monastery, (English: Monastery of the Holy Cross, Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Cruz, best known as Igreja (Church) de Santa Cruz is a National Monument in Coimbra, Portugal. Because the first two kings of Portugal are buried in the...
, essential on medieval times and a meeting point for the intellectual and power elites, where famous medieval figures studied, like Saint Anthony of Lisbon. Later the city saw its educational and cultural importance greatly improved because of the establishment of the University of Coimbra which was founded in the 13th century in Lisbon, was moved in 1308 for the first time to Coimbra and was settled definitely in the city in 1537. For this old tradition in education, Coimbra is called A cidade dos estudantes (The city of the students) and Lusa-Atenas (Lusitanic-Athens, after Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in Greece), because it is a center of culture and erudition, as well as the site of the oldest university which turned Coimbra into a noted university town.
Basic and secondary education
The city has a large number of public and private basic and secondary schools, among these some of the best-ranked in the country, like Escola Secundária Infanta D. Maria (public) and Colégio Rainha Santa Isabel (private), as well as several kindergartens and nurseries.The state-run secondary schools and 2nd and 3rd cycle of basic education schools in the municipality of Coimbra are the following:
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos Dra. Maria Alice Gouveia
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Inês de Castro
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Taveiro
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Ceira
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos da Pedrulha
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Eugénio de Castro
- Escola secundária de D. Duarte
- Escola secundária de Jaime Cortesão
- Escola secundária de Avelar Brotero
- Escola secundária com 3º ciclo do ensino básico de D. Dinis
- Escola secundária Infanta D. Maria
- Escola secundária com 3º ciclo do ensino básico da Quinta das Flores
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de S. Silvestre
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos de Martim de Freitas
- Escola secundária de José Falcão
- Escola básica dos 2º e 3º ciclos do Poeta Manuel da Silva Gaio
There is also the Coimbra Hotel and Tourism School.
Public university
The University of Coimbra, a public universityPublic university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
, is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the World, the oldest university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Portuguese-speaking countries, and one of the largest higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
and research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
institutions of Portugal. It is organized into eight different faculties
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
according to a wide range of fields, granting all the highest academic degrees in architecture, education, engineering, humanities, law, mathematics, medicine, natural sciences, psychology, social sciences and sports. It is among the Portuguese higher education institutions with the highest selectiveness and the largest number of applicants every year. It demands high entrance exam scores for admission into a large number of its most reputed departments.
Public polytechnic
The Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra (Polytechnical Institute of Coimbra), a public institution of polytechnicPolytechnic (Portugal)
A polytechnic is a higher education educational institution in Portugal created in the 1980s. After 1998 they were upgraded to institutions which are allowed to confer licenciatura degrees. Before then, they only awarded short-cycle degrees which were known as bacharelatos and didn't provide...
higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in Coimbra, has been in operation since 1988, although some of its current schools were providing degrees independently since the 1970s, and even before some were technical or vocational
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
schools (for instance, the agriculture school - Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
The Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra , in English the Agrarian School of Coimbra, is a state-run polytechnic higher education school of agriculture, based in Coimbra, Portugal...
- whose origins can be dated back to the 19th century, or the current engineering institute - Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra
Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra
The Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra ' is an higher education polytechnic institution of engineering, based in Coimbra, Portugal...
- formerly an industrial school of intermediate education in operation between 1965 and 1974). It comprises several autonomous schools in engineering, education, accountancy, and agriculture, whose entrance and teaching requirements were less demanding than the University of Coimbra's until the adoption of several new selective admission criteria in 2005 (access rules to state-run institutions have enforced minimum grades of 95/200 in the national access examinations for all students nationwide) and a number of gradual changes in the Portuguese higher education initiated in 1998 - particularly the right to start providing licenciatura degrees like the universities, the enforced minimum grades in the access examinations since 2005, and finally, a gradual shift towards the Bologna process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
in 2006 and 2007. Its schools currently have a number of reputed courses which are as selective or popular as certain average department's courses of the University of Coimbra, and in general they are allowed to award comparable degrees in some fields, excluding doctorate degrees.
Other institutions
The Escola Superior de Enfermagem de CoimbraEscola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra
The Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra is a public nursing school in Coimbra, Portugal.-History:It was created after the 2004 decree law Decreto-Lei nº 175/2004 de 21 de Julho through the merging of the two previous nursing schools of Coimbra: the Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Bissaya...
, a public nursing school
Nursing school
A nursing school is a type of educational institution, or part thereof, providing education and training to become a fully qualified nurse. The nature of nursing education and nursing qualifications varies considerably across the world.-United Kingdom:...
providing degrees since the 1990s, but whose origins as a nursing and health training school can be dated back to the early 20th century, is other state-run learning institution in the city.
There are also private higher learning schools and institutes such as the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, the Instituto Superior Bissaya Barreto, the Escola Universitária das Artes de Coimbra, and the Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, which are not generally considered as prestigious as the old university, but some are noted for awarding degrees in fields not offered by it.
The city hosts also a regional branch of the Aberta University "Open University", a state-run institution of distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
.
The long history and reputation of the University of Coimbra caused several newer public and private institutions of higher education created after 1974
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
, to unofficially attach themselves to the good name and notability of the historical old university in order to boost its marketing efforts and promote their image among potential students interested for studying in the city. This also happened with a few degrees offered by the old university itself which were never particularly reputed neither for strict selectiveness nor distinctive teaching standards (like, for example, UC's degrees in mining and geological engineering which were discontinued in the early 2000s due to lack of curricular academic integrity).
Student traditions
Born in the old University of Coimbra, the Festa das Latas and the Queima das FitasQueima das Fitas
The Queima das Fitas is a traditional festivity of the students of some Portuguese universities, organized originally by the students of the University of Coimbra.- History :...
are two important student festivities in the city, and are part of the praxe académica (academic praxis) of Coimbra.
In general, almost all students from the different public and private institutions present today in the city, adopt and internally adapt the traditional student rituals and celebrate the festivities born in the ancient University of Coimbra (UC) like the praxe académica and the Queima das Fitas
Queima das Fitas
The Queima das Fitas is a traditional festivity of the students of some Portuguese universities, organized originally by the students of the University of Coimbra.- History :...
which are yearly organized by UC's students. Non-UC students are invited to participate in the UC's public parties like Queima das Fitas and Festa das Latas parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s through the streets of the town and in addition have their own adaptations for the rituals that are performed independently by school/institute.