The
University of Lisbon (
UL) dɨ liʒˈboɐ;
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Universitas Olisiponensis) is a
public universityA 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...
in
LisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
,
PortugalPortugal , 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...
. It is composed by eight faculties. It was founded in 1911 after the fall of the Portuguese monarchy regime, but the history of a university in Lisbon goes back to the 13th century.
History
The first Portuguese university school was founded in 1290 by
King DinisDinis , called the Farmer King , was the sixth King of Portugal and the Algarve. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile and grandson of king Alfonso X of Castile , Dinis succeeded his father in 1279.-Biography:As heir to the throne, Infante Dinis was...
in Lisbon, and was called
Studium GeneraleStudium generale is the old customary name for a Medieval university.- Definition :There is no clear official definition of what constituted a Studium generale...
(
Estudo Geral). In the following 247 years, this first university school was moved several times between Lisbon and
CoimbraCoimbra 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...
. In 1537, during the reign of
João IIIJohn III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
, the university moved definitively to Coimbra. The entire university institution, including the teaching staff and all the books from its library, were moved to
CoimbraCoimbra 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...
where the
University of Coimbra was definitively installed. Lisbon became a university city again in 1911 when the current University of Lisbon was founded, through the union of newly created and older schools, like the 19th century Polytechnic School (
Escola Politécnica), the Royal Medical School of Lisbon (
Real Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Lisboa) and the Letters Higher Studies (
Curso Superior de Letras).
Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law (Portuguese:
Faculdade de Direito)
http://www.fd.ul.pt/ was officially created by a Decree of March 22, 1911 as
Faculdade de Ciências Económicas e Políticas, but was only installed in 1913, and was given its current designation later in 1918. It was originally located at the Valmor Building (
Edifício Valmor) at the
Campo dos Mártires da Pátria. It was transferred to its current campus at the University City (
Cidade Universitária) in 1957-1958. A new building, housing the Faculty's library, was built in the late 1990s.
The only graduation given is
lawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, and the specialised post-graduate studies available include several branches of the same area.
Among the many distinguished graduates from the faculty of law are the former
Presidents of PortugalPortugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
Jorge Sampaio and
Mário SoaresMário Alberto Nobre Lopes Soares, GColTE, GCC, GColL, KE , Portuguese politician, served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1976 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1985, and subsequently as the 17th President of Portugal from 1986 to 1996.-Family:...
, Prime Minister
Marcelo CaetanoMarcelo José das Neves Alves Caetano, GCTE, GCC, also spelled Marcello Caetano , was a Portuguese politician and scholar, who was the last prime minister of the Estado Novo regime, from 1968 until his overthrow in the Carnation Revolution of 1974....
, the
President of the European CommissionThe President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
José Manuel Durão BarrosoJosé Manuel Durão Barroso is a Portuguese politician. He is President of the European Commission, since 23 November 2004. He served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 6 April 2002 to 17 July 2004.-Academic career:...
, Portuguese statesman, deputy, and professor
Adriano MoreiraAdriano José Alves Moreira , is a Portuguese statesman, deputy, politician, lawyer and professor...
and businessman and former
Prime Minister Francisco Pinto BalsemãoFrancisco José Pereira Pinto Balsemão, GCC , is a former Prime Minister of Portugal, who served from 1981 to 1983.-Background:He is the son of Henrique Patrício de Balsemão and wife Maria Adelaide van Zeller de Castro Pereira , granddaughter in male line of an adulterine son of King Pedro...
.
First RepublicThe Portuguese First Republic spans a complex 16 year period in the history of Portugal, between the end of the period of constitutional monarchy marked by the 5 October 1910 revolution and the 28 May coup d'état of 1926...
political leader and several times Prime Minister
Afonso CostaAfonso Augusto da Costa, GCTE, GCL was a Portuguese lawyer, professor, and republican politician.-Political career:Costa was the leader of the Portuguese Republican Party, and he was one of the major figures of the Portuguese First Republic. He was a republican deputy in the Chamber of Deputies...
was a teacher at the faculty and its founder and first director. Television pundit and geopolitics expert
Nuno RogeiroNuno Rogeiro is a Portuguese journalist, pundit, geopolitics expert, and professor.-Education:Rogeiro studied at the secondary school Liceu Pedro Nunes in Lisbon. Subsequently he graduated in law at the University of Lisbon....
and the writer and university professor
Jaime Nogueira PintoJaime Alexandre Nogueira Pinto is a Portuguese writer and university professor, the illegitimate son of Jaime da Cunha Guimarães by Alda Branca Nogueira Pinto, who died in 2007....
also studied at the law faculty (
Faculdade de Direito).
Miguel TrovoadaMiguel dos Anjos da Cunha Lisboa Trovoada was Prime Minister and President of São Tomé and Príncipe. Currently he is the Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission.-Background:...
, former
Prime Minister-Prime Ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe :-Affiliations:-See also:*São Tomé and Príncipe**Heads of State of São Tomé and Príncipe...
(1975–1979) and President of
São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
was also one of its students, as well as
Francisca Van DunemFrancisca Van Dunem is a Portuguese lawyer. Since 2001 she is the director of the Lisbon public prosecution service.-Education:She has a law degree, Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon, awarded in 1977...
, director of the Lisbon public prosecution service.
João Vale e AzevedoJoão Vale e Azevedo is a Portuguese lawyer and a former chairman of SL Benfica.In 1980, Vale e Azevedo was awarded a degree in law by the Law School of the University of Lisbon. Between 1979 and 1982 he was an assistant lecturer at the same institution...
, a lawyer and former chairman of SL Benfica, was also a student and an assistant lecturer at this faculty.
Faculty of Sciences
The Faculty of Sciences (Portuguese:
Faculdade de Ciências, usually abbreviated
FCUL)
http://www.fc.ul.pt/ was created on April 19, 1911. From that date until 1985 (when it moved to its current grounds, at Campo Grande) it was established on the former Politechnic School (
Escola Politécnica) building. Those former installations are now used as museum, now and then.
Its current grounds comprise a built area of 75662 square meters, corresponding to 8 buildings (labeled C1 through C8, where
C stands for
Ciências — Sciences) which host the classrooms, offices, cafeterias, libraries, book shop and leisure areas. The faculty population, as of the 2009/2010 school year, consisted of (in parentheses, the numbers as of the 2008/2009 school year):
- 3055 graduation students (2964);
- 418 Joint degree (B.Sc.+M.Sc.) students (327)
- 1008 M.Sc. students (1218);
- 412 Ph.D. students (552);
- 388 teachers, about 95.3% hold a Ph.D. (417, 96.6%);
- 22 hired research staff (23)
- 186 non-teaching workers (204).
.
The computer science department has been granted several honours, namely a finalist position in the
Descartes PrizeThe Descartes Prize is an annual award in science given by the European Union, named in honour of the French mathematician and philosopher, René Descartes....
and two
IBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Scientific Awards.
The faculty's campus also comprises the
Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), the
Instituto de Oceanografia and the
Instituto de Ciência Aplicada e Tecnologia (ICAT).
There are 17 graduations available, in the following areas:
- Applied Mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
- Fundamental Applications branch
- Statistics and Operations Research
Operations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
branch
- Applied Statistics
- Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
- Environmental Biology branch (Marine
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
and Terrestrial profiles)
- Cell biology
Cell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
and BiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
branch
- Evolutionary and Developmental biology
Developmental biology is the study of the process by which organisms grow and develop. Modern developmental biology studies the genetic control of cell growth, differentiation and "morphogenesis", which is the process that gives rise to tissues, organs and anatomy.- Related fields of study...
branch
- Functional and Systems
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
Biology branch
- Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
and GeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
branch
- 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...
- Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
- Computer Engineering
Computer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
— the EngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
title requires an additional 2-year MasterA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
programme, on one of the following:
- Computer Architecture
In computer science and engineering, computer architecture is the practical art of selecting and interconnecting hardware components to create computers that meet functional, performance and cost goals and the formal modelling of those systems....
, Systems and NetworksA computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
(Distributed Systems, SecurityComputer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
, Embedded SystemsAn embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
, Fault toleranceFault-tolerance or graceful degradation is the property that enables a system to continue operating properly in the event of the failure of some of its components. A newer approach is progressive enhancement...
)
- Information systems
Information Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
(Database systemsA database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
, Human-Computer Interaction, Mobile computingMobile computing is a form of human–computer interaction by which a computer is expected to be transported during normal usage. Mobile computing has three aspects: mobile communication, mobile hardware, and mobile software...
)
- Interaction
Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect...
and KnowledgeKnowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
(Artificial IntelligenceArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
-driven: multi-agent systemA multi-agent system is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. Multi-agent systems can be used to solve problems that are difficult or impossible for an individual agent or a monolithic system to solve...
, machine learningMachine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
, Natural languageIn the philosophy of language, a natural language is any language which arises in an unpremeditated fashion as the result of the innate facility for language possessed by the human intellect. A natural language is typically used for communication, and may be spoken, signed, or written...
processing and interaction, neural networksNeural Networks is the official journal of the three oldest societies dedicated to research in neural networks: International Neural Network Society, European Neural Network Society and Japanese Neural Network Society, published by Elsevier...
)
- Software Engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
(Software designSoftware design is a process of problem solving and planning for a software solution. After the purpose and specifications of software are determined, software developers will design or employ designers to develop a plan for a solution...
, Algorithms, ProgrammingComputer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
)
- Information and Communications Technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
- Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
and EnvironmentEnvironmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
(partnership with Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e InovaçãoThe Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação , usually known as INETI for short, is a state-run R&D institution in Lisbon, Portugal, with scientific and technological activities in areas like new systems, processes and products; environmental and sustainable management; geological...
)
- Geographical Engineering
- Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
- Applied geology and Environment branch
- Geology and Natural resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
branch
- Health Sciences (partnership with Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, Faculty of Dentary Medicine of the University of Lisbon, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon and Faculty of Letters of the University of Lisbon)
- Maths
- Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
- Physics branch
- Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and AstrophysicsAstrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
branch
- Computational Physics
Computational physics is the study and implementation of numerical algorithms to solve problems in physics for which a quantitative theory already exists...
branch
- Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
, OceanographyOceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
and GeophysicsGeophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
- Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
(partnership with Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Physics Engineering (Engineering Physics
Engineering physics is the study of the combined disciplines of physics, engineering and mathematics in order to develop an understanding of the interrelationships of these three disciplines. Fundamental physics is combined with problem solving and engineering skills, which then has broad...
)
- Technological Chemistry
António de Sommer ChampalimaudAntónio de Sommer Champalimaud was a Portuguese banker and industrialist who in 2004 was the wealthiest man in Portugal. He earned his fortune with insurance, banking and cement industries which were nationalized after the Carnation Revolution of 1974...
, a notable Portuguese business tycoon, studied at this Faculty of Sciences but did not graduate.
João MagueijoJoão Magueijo is a Portuguese cosmologist and professor in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London. He is a pioneer of the varying speed of light theory.- Career :...
, a Portuguese cosmologist and professor, studied at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FCUL).
Jorge PalmaJorge Manuel d’Abreu Palma, known as Jorge Palma , is a Portuguese singer and songwriter.-Early life and career:At just the age of six, Palma learnt to play the piano and to read...
, singer-songwriter, studied for a while at the Faculty of Sciences before embracing a successful career in music.
Nuno CratoNuno Paulo de Sousa Arrobas Crato is a Portuguese university professor, researcher, mathematician, economist, and writer. For many years, Crato was a researcher and professor in the United States. Back in Portugal, he taught mathematics and statistics in the ISEG/Technical University of Lisbon...
, a Portuguese university professor, researcher, mathematician, economist, and writer who has been appointed president of both the
Portuguese Mathematical SocietyThe Portuguese Mathematical Society ' is the mathematical society of Portugal, and was founded in Lisbon, in December 1940.-History:...
and
TagusparkTaguspark is a science and technology park located in the municipality of Oeiras, Greater Lisbon subregion, Portugal. In an area of approximately 3.6 km², 2 km² of which are occupied by the Park, there are several research and development labs, innovative startups and business incubators in a range...
, studied for a while at the
Faculdade de Ciências before changing his mind and graduate at the ISEG - Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão/
Technical University of LisbonThe Technical University of Lisbon is a Portuguese public university. It was created in 1930 in Lisbon, as a confederation of older schools, and comprises, nowadays, the faculties and institutes of veterinary medicine; agricultural sciences; economics and business administration; engineering,...
, embracing a notable academic career.
Pedro Passos CoelhoPedro Manuel Mamede Passos Coelho , is Prime Minister of Portugal. Passos Coelho started very early in politics, becoming the national leader of the youth branch of the Social Democratic Party...
,
Prime Minister of PortugalPrime Minister is the current title of the chief of the Portuguese Government. As chief executive, the Prime Minister coordinates the action of ministers, representing the Government from the other organs of state, accountable to Parliament and keeps the President informed...
, studied mathematics at the Faculty of Sciences, but did not graduate there.
Faculty of Medicine
The Faculty of Medicine is a leading medical school, having its origins in the 19th century when the
Real Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Lisboa was founded in the city. Santa Maria's Hospital (Hospital de Santa Maria), one of the biggest Portuguese hospitals, is the teaching hospital of the faculty, and share the same installations.
António DamásioAntonio Damasio is David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Southern California, where he heads USC's Brain and Creativity Institute and Adjunct Professor at the Salk Institute. Prior to taking up his posts at USC, in 2005, Damasio was M.W...
and Alexandre Carlos Caldas studied at this faculty, and
Egas MonizAntónio Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz , known as Egas Moniz , was a Portuguese neurologist and the developer of cerebral angiography...
(a
Nobel prizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner) was professor there.
Other noted personalities who studied at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon include:
- António Lobo Antunes
António Lobo Antunes, GCSE, MD ; born 1 September 1942) is a Portuguese novelist and medical doctor.-Life and career:António Lobo Antunes was born in Lisbon as the eldest of six sons of João Alfredo de Figueiredo Lobo Antunes , prominent Neurologist and Professor, close collaborator of Egas Moniz,...
, (born September 1, 1942), Portuguese novelist.
- Joaquim Alberto Chissano, (born 22 October 1939), second President of Mozambique. (dropped out)
- João Lobo Antunes
João Lobo Antunes, MD ; born 4 June 1944) is a Portuguese neurosurgeon.-Life and career:João Lobo Antunes was born in Lisbon as the second of six sons of João Alfredo de Figueiredo Lobo Antunes , prominent Neurologist and Professor, close collaborator of Egas Moniz, Nobel prize of physiology, and...
, (born June 4, 1944), a prominent Portuguese Neurosurgeon.
- Jonas Savimbi
Jonas Malheiro Savimbi was an Angolan political leader. He founded and led UNITA, a movement that first waged a guerrilla war against Portuguese colonial rule, 1966–1974, then confronted the rival MPLA during the decolonization conflict, 1974/75, and after independence in 1975 fought the ruling...
, (1934–2002), a guerrilla, military leader and politician from Angola. (dropped out)
- José Tomás de Sousa Martins, 19th century physician, noted for the esoteric cult-status achieved after his death.
- Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
, (1922–1979), served as the first President of Angola.
- Maria Elisa
Maria Elisa Domingues, commonly referred to as Maria Elisa is a journalist and television presenter.-Early years:Maria Elisa was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1950...
, (born in 1950), journalist and television presenter. (dropped out)
Faculty of Letters
The Faculty of Letters (Portuguese:
Faculdade de Letras), FLUL,
http://www.fl.ul.pt/ was created in 1911, although it's predated by the Superior Studies in Letters (
Curso Superior de Letras), created in 1859 by King
Pedro V* Duke of Barcelos* Marquis of Vila Viçosa* Count of Ourém* Count of Barcelos* Count of Arraiolos* Count of Guimarães-Honours:* Knight of the Garter* Knight of the Golden Fleece-Ancestry:...
, from which all students and professors were transferred.
It remained on the grounds of the Superior Studies, an annex to the Academy of Science until 1957, when it changed to the current building, in the University City (
Cidade Universitária). In 1975, a new pavilion was built to accommodate the large influx of students who arrived after the democratization of Superior Education in Portugal, a consequence of the
Carnation RevolutionThe 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...
. The pavilion, theoretically provisional, still stands today. In 2001, two new buildings were finished: one to accommodate new classrooms and the Computer Room, and the Library Building, which is now the second biggest library in Portugal.
Although the faculty's graduation with most studies is modern languages and literatures (
Línguas e Literaturas Modernas) (which has a number of variants, including studies in
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
,
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
,
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
,
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
,
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and
ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
), it also offers
philosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
,
historyHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
(and archeology),
African studiesAfrican studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and societies of Africa .The field includes the study of:Culture of Africa, History of Africa , Anthropology of Africa , Politics of Africa, Economy of Africa African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and...
,
European studiesEuropean studies is a field of study offered by many academic colleges and universities that focuses on current developments in European integration....
,
cultural studiesCultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
and classical studies (the degree itself is named classic languages and literatures). It is also the former home of the degree in
psychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. In the mid-1980s a new Faculty of Psychology
http://www.fpce.ul.pt was created to accommodate it.
Famous professors at the faculty include the first President of the Portuguese Republic,
Teófilo BragaJoaquim Teófilo Fernandes Braga ]] 24 February 1843 – 28 January 1924) was a Portuguese writer, playwright, politician and the leader of the Republican Provisional Government after the abdication of King Manuel II, as well as the second elected President of the First Portuguese Republic, following...
and writers
Vitorino NemésioVitorino Nemésio Mendes Pinheiro da Silva was a poet, author and intellectual from Terceira, Azores, best known for his romance Mau Tempo No Canal, as well as being a professor in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Lisbon and member of the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon...
and
Urbano Tavares RodriguesUrbano Tavares Rodrigues, GCIH is a Portuguese professor of literature, a literary critic and a fiction writer, winner of many literary prizes. He was born in 1923 in Lisbon, Portugal, but spent most of his childhood near Moura, in Alentejo, the Southern region of Portugal...
.
The most famous former student, who attended for less than a year, is the poet
Fernando PessoaFernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
.
Fialho GouveiaJosé Manuel Bastos Fialho Gouveia, was a Portuguese television entertainment pioneer and former radio host, having hosted Portugal’s first television talk show....
, a noted Portuguese television presenter, attended the
RomanceThe Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
PhilologyPhilology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
course at the
Faculdade de Letras but dropped out in order to follow a successful career in radio and television. The writer
Luiz PachecoLuiz Pacheco was a writer, publisher, polemicist and literary critic . He was most proud of his work as a publisher...
was a student at FLUL before dropping out. The actress
Alexandra LencastreAlexandra Lencastre is a Portuguese actress.-Career:...
and
MoonspellMoonspell is a Portuguese gothic metal band from Brandoa, Lisbon. Formed in 1992, the group released their first EP Under the Moonspell in 1994, a year before the release of their first album Wolfheart...
frontman
Fernando RibeiroFernando Miguel Santos Ribeiro is a Portuguese musician and poet, responsible for vocals and lyrics of the gothic metal band Moonspell, under the nickname Langsuyar.-Biography:...
also attended the philosophy course but did not graduate. Famous musician and composer
Fernando Lopes-GraçaFernando Lopes-Graça, GOSE, GCIH was a Portuguese composer and conductor of the 20th century...
also dropped out of FLUL. Football player and manager Artur Jorge graduated by FLUL after has been a student at the
University of Coimbra's FLUC.
Research
The
Instituto de Medicina MolecularThe Instituto de Medicina Molecular , or IMM for short, is an associated research institution of the University of Lisbon, in Lisbon, Portugal....
of the University of Lisbon, a research institute in
molecular medicineMolecular medicine is a broad field, where physical, chemical, biological and medical techniques are used to describe molecular structures and mechanisms, identify fundamental molecular and genetic errors of disease, and to develop molecular interventions to correct them...
, is one of the most noted biosciences research institutions in Portugal.
The Instituto Geofisico do Infante Dom Luiz exists since 1853 and is a research and operational unit that maintains the longest meteorological series of Portugal. Research is organized and funded through CGUL, the leading Portuguese geophysical research unit, and Associated Laboratory (with LATTEX) of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology.
Researchers of
LaSIGELaSIGE is a research unit of the Computer Science department of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, located at the Faculty's C6 building.-Research Lines:LaSIGE's research activities are organized around different topics, promoting research, training and...
, a research laboratory for large-scale information systems (integrated into the Department of Computer Science), have received several honors, namely an IBM Scientific Award, an
Order of EngineersThe Ordem dos Engenheiros is the regulatory and licensing body for the engineer profession in Portugal. It is headquartered in Lisbon, and has several regional branches in other Portuguese cities....
distinction and a place among the eight finalists of the
Descartes PrizeThe Descartes Prize is an annual award in science given by the European Union, named in honour of the French mathematician and philosopher, René Descartes....
.
Instituto de Ciências Sociais (Institute of Social Sciences)
The Instituto de Ciências Sociais (ICS), an associated state laboratory, is a university institution devoted to research and advanced training in the social sciences.
The mission of the ICS is to study contemporary societies, with a special emphasis on Portugal and the societies and cultures with which Portugal has a historical relationship, either in Europe or in other regions of the world.
Bringing together researchers from several different disciplines, the ICS focuses its research on five main subject areas: the formation of the contemporary world; the study of citizenship and democratic institutions; the problems of sustainability, linking the environment, risk and space; social changes and individual action in the context of the family, lifestyles and schooling; and issues concerning identity, migration and religion. The main subjects represented at the institute are: social and cultural anthropology, political science, economics, human geography, history, social psychology and sociology.
Researchers and the ideas they propose are the driving force of the ICS. The high number of postgraduates engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines and the vitality acquired over the years make the ICS a key institution in this field of knowledge in both Portugal and Europe. In terms of methodology, ICS research involves a broad range of procedures, ranging from the study of documents, ethnographic methods, qualitative studies, studies involving representative samples and experimental methods.
Having originated in 1962 as the independent Social Science Research Group (GIS), founded by Adérito Sedas Nunes, the ICS became an autonomous institute of the University of Lisbon in 1982 and acquired the status of associated state laboratory in 2002, an achievement that puts it on a par with other Portuguese institutions of excellence.
The central activities of the ICS include: publishing research in book form and in articles in Portuguese and international journals of reference; advanced education to the level of masters' degrees and doctorates; maintaining a dialogue with the international scientific community; and spreading knowledge in the wider community—an increasingly important activity to ensure the necessary interaction between science and citizenship.
Análise Social (Social Analysis), Portugal's oldest and most prestigious peer-reviewed social science journal, together with the ICS's own publishing house, Imprensa de Ciências Sociais (Social Science Press) are the most visible manifestations of the institute's activities.
The ICS is located at the University of Lisbon campus in a central area of the city next to the national library (
Biblioteca Nacional). Its new offices, opened in 2003, were especially designed for the institute's research activities and postgraduate courses. The Library, which has 40,000 books and subscribes to 313 periodicals, is also home to the fast-growing Social History Archive (AHS).
In an open and informal atmosphere, the ICS has succeeded in creating an attractive environment for intellectual activity, and has developed strong ties with the academic world in Portugal and internationally. Over time, the institute has established an internal culture of independence and creativity, but also of exacting standards and responsibility.
Currently (2008), the institute has about 70 researchers and 100 postgraduate students and is engaged in about 200 research projects. Nearly 70 per cent of its activities are financed from its own funds, which are obtained competitively.
External links