University of the Algarve
Encyclopedia
The University of the Algarve (Universidade do Algarve or UAlg for short) is a Portuguese
public university
with administrative and financial autonomy. Its two campuses and the central administration are located in Faro
, the capital city of the Algarve region. It has about 9,000 students.
and polytechnic
. The university subsystem is organised by faculty. The polytechnic subsystem is organised by school
.
University of Algarve's highest academic official has the title of Reitor (Rector
) and is responsible, on behalf of the institution, for the running and maintenance of faculties and schools, the organisation and planning of courses, as well as the administration of its finances and subsidiary services.
The University of Algarve is particularly well-known for its marine biology
, marine sciences and biochemistry
licenciatura degrees
(in Portuguese: "cursos de licenciatura"), offered by its Sciences & Technology Faculty.
UAlg awards licenciatura degrees (bachelor's degree); mestrado degrees (masters' degree); and doutoramento degrees (doctorate degree - only awarded by the university faculties) in several fields, ranging from economics to environmental engineering.
higher education
is provided by three faculties:
higher education
is provided by four school
s:
, Music
activities and Journalism
for students, and also sporting events and training in sports such as rugby union
, football
, jujutsu
, cycling
, etc.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
public university
Public 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...
with administrative and financial autonomy. Its two campuses and the central administration are located in Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
, the capital city of the Algarve region. It has about 9,000 students.
History and organisation
It was founded at the end of the 1970s. During the 1980s, the former and short-lived Polytechnic Institute of Faro, was incorporated into the University of Algarve, but as a totally independent institution in terms of staff, curricula, and competences, remaining a full public polytechnic institution within a larger and independent public university. The university is thus an unusual example of the cohabitation of two distinct subsystems of higher education in the same institution: universityUniversity
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...
and polytechnic
Polytechnic (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...
. The university subsystem is organised by faculty. The polytechnic subsystem is organised by school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
.
University of Algarve's highest academic official has the title of Reitor (Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
) and is responsible, on behalf of the institution, for the running and maintenance of faculties and schools, the organisation and planning of courses, as well as the administration of its finances and subsidiary services.
The University of Algarve is particularly well-known for its marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
, marine sciences and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
licenciatura degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
(in Portuguese: "cursos de licenciatura"), offered by its Sciences & Technology Faculty.
UAlg awards licenciatura degrees (bachelor's degree); mestrado degrees (masters' degree); and doutoramento degrees (doctorate degree - only awarded by the university faculties) in several fields, ranging from economics to environmental engineering.
Faculties (Gambelas Campus)
UniversityUniversity
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...
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...
is provided by three faculties:
Polytechnic schools (Penha Campus)
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...
is provided by four school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s:
- School of Education
- School of Management, Hotelary and Tourism
- School of Technology
- School of Health
Sports and Culture
The University has a students' union called the University of Algarve Academic Association (Associação Académica da Universidade do Algarve). The Academic Association organises cultural events such as TheatreTheatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
activities and Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
for students, and also sporting events and training in sports such as rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, etc.