Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco (Polytechnic University of Castelo Branco)

Mission Statement

IPCB is a public higher education institution whose mission is to provide citizens with high-level qualifications, to produce and disseminate knowledge, and to offer its students cultural, artistic, technological, and scientific training within an international framework. IPCB values the work of its teaching, research, and administrative staff, promotes the intellectual and professional development of its students and graduates, encourages national and international mobility, and actively participates in research, development, dissemination, and the transfer and economic valorisation of scientific knowledge. IPCB contributes to the public understanding of the humanities, arts, science, and technology, promoting initiatives that support the dissemination of humanistic, artistic, scientific, and technological culture. The fulfilment of the institution’s mission includes: carrying out study cycles leading to academic degrees and other post-secondary, postgraduate, and specialised courses; creating an educational environment conducive to achieving its mission; conducting research and supporting scientific institutions; transferring and economically valorising scientific and technological knowledge; providing professional training and lifelong learning opportunities; offering community services and supporting regional development; fostering cultural, scientific, and technical cooperation with national and international institutions; contributing to international cooperation and strengthening ties, particularly with Portuguese-speaking and European countries; and producing and disseminating knowledge and culture. IPCB is also responsible, under the law, for granting equivalences and recognising academic qualifications and degrees.

International Role

The IPCB is an active member of the European University Alliance BAUHAUS4EU, recognised by the European Commission and in continuous expansion. The institution follows a policy of networking and collaboration with several Portuguese institutions, notably with Universidade Aberta and the Rede A23 consortium, which brings together multiple polytechnics. Through these partnerships, IPCB offers joint undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes, as well as shared research centres. It also offers courses in collaboration with both Portuguese and international universities. In terms of international cooperation and mobility, IPCB maintains significant agreements and projects in various countries, including Macau, Brazil, and Timor, among others.

National Role

The School of Applied Arts (ESART) is well integrated into the higher education network, collaborating with its counterparts. ESART is characterised by its active contribution to local and regional development, particularly in the enhancement of built and natural heritage, culture, quality of life, and business competitiveness. It has actively participated in knowledge development and transfer projects, as well as in co-management initiatives with associations, companies, and local and regional government bodies.

Main Focus

The study cycles at the Bachelor’s Degree level in Design aim to train students for professional practice in a specialised area, seeking to correlate two different dimensions: Graphic Design and Audiovisual Design; Interior Design with Equipment Design; Fashion Design with Textile Design. In the case of Master’s Degrees in Design, these aim to specialise students in a specific area while also providing them with the ability to develop integrated projects.