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 provide its students with cultural, artistic, technological and scientific training within an international framework.

IPCB values the activity of its teaching, research and non-teaching staff, stimulates the intellectual and professional training of its students and graduates, promotes effective mobility at national and international level and participates in research and development activities, the dissemination and transfer of knowledge, as well as the economic valorisation of scientific knowledge.

IPCB contributes to the public understanding of the humanities, the arts, science and technology, promoting actions to support the dissemination of humanistic, artistic, scientific and technological culture. The realisation of the institution's mission aims to:

– Carrying out cycles of studies aimed at awarding academic degrees, as well as other post-secondary courses, post-graduate training courses and others, under the terms of the law; – Creating an educational environment suitable for the development of its mission;

– Carrying out research and supporting and participating in scientific institutions; – Transferring and economically valorising scientific and technological knowledge; –

Carrying out professional training and knowledge updating activities;

– Providing services to the community and supporting development from a perspective of mutual appreciation and regional development; – Cooperation and cultural, scientific and technical exchange with similar institutions, both national and foreign;

– Contributing to international cooperation and bringing people closer together, especially with Portuguese-speaking countries and European countries, within the scope of IPCB's activity;

– Producing and disseminating knowledge and culture. The IPCB is also responsible, under the terms of the law, for granting equivalences and recognising academic qualifications and degrees.

International Role

The IPCB has a policy of networking synergies with several Portuguese institutions, namely with the Universidade Aberta and the Rede A23 consortium, which brings together several polytechnics and with which it has several joint courses at undergraduate, master's and doctoral level, as well as research centres. It also runs courses in association with Portuguese and foreign universities.

In terms of international cooperation and mobility agreements, it has relevant protocols and projects in various countries such as Macau, Brazil, Timor, among others. It is currently a member of the European University Alliance – BAUHAUS4EU:

https://www.ipcb.pt/universidade-europeia-do-ipcb-com-selo-de-excelencia-da-comissao-europeia

https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/news/bauhausjournal-online/titel/university-alliance-bauhaus4eu-receives-seal-of-excellence-from-the-european-commission-1/.

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 in terms of the enhancement of built and natural heritage, as well as culture and quality of human life, and business competitiveness.

It has actively participated in knowledge development and transfer projects and co-management projects with associations, companies and local and regional government bodies.

Main Focus

The study cycles at Bachelor's Degree in Design level aim to train students to carry out professional design activity in a specialised area, seeking to correlate two different dimensions:

Graphic design with audiovisual design

Interior design with equipment design

Fashion Design with Textile Design

In the case of master's degrees in design, these are intended to specialise students in one area and at the same time give them the ability to develop integrated projects.