When Camilo Vergara wanted to deepen his understanding of geoconservation and environmental management, he knew he wouldn’t get the answers he needed in his home country, Chile. There was no geosciences programme that emphasised these objectives. Instead, he’d find the perfect place to gain in-depth learning some 10,500 kilometres away from Chile. In the dynamic country of Portugal, where young and intelligent students roam the cities, the School of Sciences of the University of Minho was calling his name.
At the University of Minho, Vergara pursued the Master’s Degree in Geosciences, which offers specialised training in classic and emerging concepts — from geological heritage to geographic information systems. “It allowed me to strengthen my curriculum and gain a more global view of the challenges and techniques of geoconservation, an area I already knew about but only in the local reality of my country,” he says.
The School of Sciences of the University of Minho has been setting the standard of high-quality teaching and innovative research since 1975. With that said — UMinho hosts an educational setting that champions the bold, the risk-takers, and the dedicated. Students here build transversal skills through a curriculum that’s industry-focused, increasing their employability.
Every year, UMinho School of Sciences welcomes a diverse cohort of scholars, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Source: University of Minho
Across the school’s wide catalogue of Masters and PhD programmes, students immerse themselves in five fundamental subject areas: biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, and mathematics. Through master’s programmes like Applied Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Advanced Optometry, and PhD programmes in Mathematics and Applications, Biology, Geology, and more, students engage with scientific ideas that are trending in the real world.
From sustainability to quantum science and nanotechnologies, there are no limits to the topics that you’d encounter. Just the same can be said of the CVs of experts teaching them. They are some of the more influential researchers in their respective fields. But as storied as their reputations are, they’re always there for students. Supervision is always keen and friendly.
With their guidance and the way the curriculum’s structured, students acquire a specialised skill set. The first year is all about building a strong foundation of specialised and transferable skills. The next one to three years is all about applying those skills in practical settings.
Vergara was able to meet global experts and take part in international events through the programme, which grew his network of contacts key to his career. For Ana Peixoto, a Doctoral Programme in Physics graduate, she collaborated with her peers and professors to conduct extensive research.
“The programme enabled me to carry out a research project that resulted in my joining the international collaboration in the ATLAS Experiment at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, of which I am still a member today,” Peixoto says.
Research at UMinho’s School of Sciences is highly stimulating for numerous reasons. Students get involved in complex projects from the onset through School of Sciences’ funded research centres, like the Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology and the Centre of Chemistry. They’re adopted by a tight-knit community of warm and dedicated staff and students, and follow a curriculum that’s multidisciplinary and multisectoral.
The result of all those minds coming together? A seemingly endless stream of innovation. Since 2020, they conducted over 16 million euros worth of research projects. These include competitive calls to address societal challenges in areas such as data science/machine learning, multidisciplinary computational modelling of physical, biological, and chemical systems, new drug candidates and smart and sustainable materials.
“I was very pleased with the freedom to learn, the autonomy, and critical thinking instilled in me,” graduate Diogo Gonçalves says. “The proximity of the teaching staff allowed me to work on local industry problems from an early stage in my academic career, which was undoubtedly very positive.”
Gonçalves graduated from the Master Degree in Chemical Analyses and Characterisation Techniques programme, which features a strong laboratory component to study topics across forensic, industrial, and food chemistry. After the first year, students complete an Individual Project at a company or a research laboratory.
For students like Gonçalves, the rigorous nature of these programmes is what sets them up for success post-graduation. Intensive training here reflects the demands of their future professions, with professors like those who guided Gonçalves through their expertise in sampling, chemical analysis, quality and data analysis, and more.
The University of Minho was founded in 1974. Source: University of Minho
Benefiting students in their education is UMinho’s rich connections to industry, public, and private institutions. The university itself is a member of the Arqus European University Alliance, which is a partnership across universities in nine countries: Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Poland, and Lithuania. It aims to tackle societal challenges and advance towards European integration. For students, that means opportunities to study in other countries, likely on campuses as diverse and great for networking as UMinho.
For current international student Annalisa Berti (from Italy) — part of the Doctoral Programme in Physics — School of Sciences’ global community proves to be a valuable trait. “The exchange of opinions and experiences is encouraged, not only with the international scientific community, through the participation in international schools and conferences, but also with peer students and supervisors, which helps personal and professional growth,” she says.
The entirety of this experience takes place across two campuses and two cities. One is the Campus of Gualtar in the city of Braga, and the other is the Campus of Azurém in the city of Guimarães. These cities are not only low-cost, warm, safe, and embedded with Portugal’s rich history across 3,100 years of diverse civilisation — it also brims plenty of enterprising activities that’ll keep you inspired.
Check out the programmes at UMinho School of Sciences today to get your career rolling.
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