IPVC and the Region
Created in 1980 by Decree-Law 303/80 of 16 August, the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo [IPVC] is located in Alto Minho, where people work and play according to a tradition of valuing natural resources. The aim of IPVC is to provide the quality human, cultural, scientific, technical and vocational training needed for and suited to its pursuit of its mission and cooperate with the regional community through its Higher Education Schools, particularly in its productive and business sectors, with a perspective of ongoing dialogue and mutual enhancement.
Presidency and Central Services
The Presidency and the Central Services at the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo are currently housed in a historical 17th century building known as Palácio Rego Barreto. This former manor house has been home to a number of educational establishments since the late 19th century.
Courses
Within the Higher Education network of Alto Minho, the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo is the organisation with the largest range of educational programmes.
Apart from Higher Professional Technical Courses [CTeSP], it also provides higher education which leads to Bachelor’s Degrees, Postgraduate Degrees and Master’s Degrees (several in cooperation with foreign and national universities) through its six Higher Education Schools:
School of Education (Viana do Castelo)
School of Agriculture (Ponte de Lima)
School of Technology and Management (Viana do Castelo)
School of Health (Viana do Castelo)
School of Business Sciences (Valença)
School of Sport and Leisure (Melgaço)
Active Learning
IPVC aims to instil in students habits of reasoning and work, along with a passion for studying and scientific and technical imagination, while increasing their ability to work in groups, developing ethical values as well as personal and intuitive abilities and taking a critical view of the information flow.
The training is based on a strong interactive learning component through the increasing use of real case studies, which will allow students to better understand the social reality and how cultural and social phenomena work.
The qualifications of the teaching staff at its schools are one of the priorities of IPVC. At the moment, the majority of the teaching staff have PhDs and Master’s Degrees, and the remainder are doing advanced training.
