PORTUGAL
Portugal is a country on the Iberian Peninsula, located in south-western Europe. It is the western most country of mainland 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 Azores and Madeira are also part of Portugal.
The land within the borders of today's Portuguese Republic has been continuously settled since prehistoric times.
Some of the earliest civilizations include Lusitanians and Celtic societies. Incorporation into the Roman Republic dominions took place in the 2nd century BC. The region was ruled and colonized by Germanic peoples from the 5th to the 8th century. The Muslim Moors arrived in the early 8th century and conquered the Christian Germanic kingdoms, eventually occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula. In the early 1100s, during the Christian Reconquista, Portugal appeared as a kingdom independent of its neighbour, the Kingdom of León and Galicia. In a little over a century, in 1249, Portugal would establish almost its entire modern-day borders by conquering territory from the Moors.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, with a global empire that included possessions in Africa, Asia and South America, Portugal was one of the world's major economic, political, and cultural powers. After the Portuguese Colonial War and the Carnation Revolution coup d'état in 1974, the ruling regime was deposed in Lisbon and the country handed over its last overseas provinces in Africa.
Portugal is a developed country, has a high Human Development Index and is among the world's 20 highest rated countries in terms of quality of life, although having the lowest GDP per capita of Western European countries. It is a member of the European Union (since 1986) and the United Nations (since 1955); as well as a founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), and the European Union's Eurozone. Portugal is also a Schengen state.
According to the Global Peace Index, Portugal is among the top ten most peaceful countries in the world.
Total area 92,212 km²
Population 10,352 million (2021 estimate)
Population Density 112,2/km²
GDP total $432.1 billion, per capita: $42,067 (2022 estimate)
Human Development Index (HDI) 0.866 (38nd)
Language: Portuguese
Capital Lisbon
Currency Euro €
Time zone GMT
Phone Code: +351
“Portugal is among the top ten most peaceful countries in the world”
Lisboa, Portugal
Serra da Estrela, Portugal
COVILHÃ
It is the main gateway to Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain in mainland Portugal, confirmed as a Global Geopark by UNESCO . It is located on the southeastern slope of this mountain range and is one of the main urban centres in the Portuguese interior. D. Sancho (1186) made it the seat of the region that would later become the province of Beira Baixa and, in 1510, D. Manuel granted it a new charter, confirming its importance. In 1870, Covilhã was elevated to the status of city by D. Luís, which demonstrates the success of the industrial development policy of the time.
On the edge of a wool plantation , it became known for its wool production; in fact, few urban centers in the world can boast of having maintained the same regular economic activity for so long. Wool and wool production have been part of the city's DNA for over eight centuries, up until the present day, when textiles are allied with new areas of innovation and avant-garde.
An enchanted city with natural landscapes of rare beauty, it also boasts an unusual architectural heritage. The old factories with imposing chimneys that are spread throughout the city, the various Art Nouveau palaces of the industrial bourgeoisie, the magnificent iron elements of the houses, the stones of the castle wall, the chapels and churches that date back to the 12th century and even the 16th century buildings in the Jewish quarter.
Covilhã is the heir to navigators and cosmographers such as Pêro da Covilhã, the brothers Francisco and Ruy Faleiro and the master José Vizinho, who played a leading role in the Portuguese discoveries. It is an open-air museum of urban art that houses names such as Rodolfo Passaporte (curvilinism, 1988), Vhils (2011 and 2013), Bordalo II (2014), Pantónio (2015) and Bosoletti (2017).
Accustomed to demanding high standards, it is a city of knowledge and constant renewal. The University of Beira Interior is an internationally renowned institution in the areas of teaching and research, and Parkurbis and UbiMedical incubate and promote technology-based companies or new product development.
Creativity reigns in every corner of Covilhã, giving it a unique and distinctive character, where even its unique orography makes it a crib city.
A magical city , closer to the clouds than any other, with a glorious past, a planned future and a present built on dreams. On culture and knowledge. On audacity and imagination. On originality.
UNIVERSITY OF BEIRA INTERIOR
University of Beira Interior (UBI) has established itself as a landmark institution at both national and international levels in education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
With a strong focus on quality, UBI has invested in state-of-the-art laboratories, expanded its facilities for teaching and research, and increased its involvement in national and international research projects. The university also prides itself on having a highly qualified teaching staff.
The number of students has steadily grown over the years, now exceeding 10,000, with approximately 22% being international students from various countries.
UBI currently offers over 35 first-cycle (undergraduate) programs, around 45 second-cycle (master's) programs, 29 third-cycle (doctoral) programs, 31 post-doctoral programs, and 3 postgraduate programs, distributed across five faculties:
- Faculty of Science;
- Faculty of Engineering;
- Faculty of Social and Human Sciences;
- Faculty of Arts and Letters;
- Faculty of Health Sciences.
Unlike most universities, UBI does not have a single centralized campus. Instead, its university campus spans the entire city, with the majority of its buildings being old factories that have been rehabilitated and adapted for educational purposes.
UBI is recognized as the best Portuguese higher education institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings 2024, which evaluates universities worldwide founded less than 50 years ago. Internationally, UBI ranks 170th among the best universities in the world.
Among the nine Portuguese institutions considered, UBI achieved first place in “Research Quality” and “Industry,” reflecting its capacity for innovation and strong ties to the business sector. Additionally, UBI ranked second in “Research Environment,” third in “Teaching,” and fourth in “International Outlook.
