INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE

FEUP is a true international reference in engineering. The strong cooperative relationship it has with prestigious higher education companies and institutions in Europe and the rest of the world has contributed a lot for its reputation. In the United States of America it has privileged cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CCarnegie Mellon University (CMU) and the University of Texas at Austin (UTAustin), with which it has not only joint doctorates  but also partnerships in research projects and technology transfer.

FEUP has been expanding its cooperation base, participating in the main international networks and engineering associations, such as the CESAER (Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education) or Rede MAGALHÃES.

International rankings compare the performance of the best higher education institutions in the world, reflecting the quality of education and research. Some key indicators are the scientific research and its impact, number of international students and global cooperation, knowledge-transfer activity and the academic and employer reputation at regional and global level.

EUR-ACE® Quality Label

FEUP is proud to be the first Portuguese higher education institution with all its Engineering courses recognised by ENAEE (European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education) through the EUR-ACE Quality Label. These degree courses are the Integrated Masters in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Informatics and Computing Engineering, Electrical and Computers Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Bioengineering and the Master in Mining and Geo-Environmental Engineering. This qualification places FEUP in an unprecedented level in the field of higher education in Portugal, providing an European dimension to diplomas issued by FEUP.

The EUR-ACE® framework and accreditation system is based on a set of standards that aim to recognise high quality engineering degree courses in Europe and abroad. In addition to the educational requirements, this system also incorporates the views and perspectives of key stakeholders, namely students, employers, higher education institutions, professional associations and accreditation agencies.

The EUR-ACE® accreditation system is internationally recognized, thus facilitating academic and professional mobility. The main benefits for students and engineering professionals are:

  • the guarantee that the course meets European and international standards and is recognised by employers in Europe;
  • simplification of applications to EUR-ACE® Master’s and Doctoral courses in other higher education institutions;
  • in countries where the engineering profession is regulated, EUR-ACE® labelled courses meet the educational requirements for becoming a registered or chartered engineer (the authorized agency in Portugal is the Ordem dos Engenheiros);
  • promotion of graduate mobility, in agreement with the EU directive on Recognition of Professional Qualification (Directive 2005/36/EC);
  • access to a professional “ENGINEERing CARD“, endorsed by FEANI (European Federation of National Engineering Associations);
  • access to the “EUR ING Title“, a European professional title attributed by FEANI that aims to facilitate the mutual recognition of engineering qualifications in Europe and to strengthen the position, role and responsibility of engineers in society.

Ordem dos Engenheiros is the Portuguese national agency duly authorized by ENAEE to issue the EUR-ACE quality label to Portuguese Higher Education Institutions.

The EUR-ACE® Quality Label embodies the beginning of a new accreditation cycle at European level, aimed at mutual accreditation of engineering courses with recognized demand criteria.