Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo

The Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (IPVC) is located in the Alto Minho region in the northwest of Portugal, which has a population of around 250,000 inhabitants distributed throughout a territorial area of ​​2210 km². It borders Spain to the north and east, the district of Braga to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The region is characterized by its rich natural landscapes, and the harmony of its diverse ecosystems – marine, fluvial, and terrestrial – makes it unique.

IPVC offers various educational programs, including 26 licentiate degree programs, 28 master’s degree programs, 27 professional and technical programs, and several graduate programs, across its six schools: Education, Agriculture, Technology and Management, Business Sciences, Health Professions, and Sport and Leisure.

IPVC provides an education rooted in strong interactive learning, along with an increasing application of real-world case studies, in close partnership with businesses and institutions, which affords students a better understanding of their social reality and the workings of cultural and social phenomena. At IPVC, you will find innovative educational methods that promote instruction through projects and research and go beyond expanding your collective work skills to endorse ethical values and further your personal and critical thinking skills amid the constant flow of information.

IPVC integrates several national and international R&D consortia in different areas of study, coordinates and participates in several projects in highly competitive areas, and also engages in intercontinental projects with partners from different parts of the globe.

You can choose from 156 partner institutions in the Erasmus+ program and 20 partner institutions in accredited international mobility programs for your international mobility experience.

IPVC also cooperates with several higher education institutions outside Europe, namely in Brazil and Central America, so that students may carry out their studies and internships through a student exchange program.

For more information about Portugal, on why you should study in the Portuguese language, life in Portugal, and related topics, visit the website of the Directorate General for Higher Education (DGES) and click on “Study in Portugal”.

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