For the first time, the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (UNIPVC) is participating in a mission to promote Portuguese higher education in China of this magnitude. The initiative takes place at a time when both countries are preparing a new agreement for the recognition of degrees and diplomas and an academic cooperation plan until 2030. The Pro-Rector for Pedagogical Innovation and Curricular Flexibility, Ana Teresa Oliveira, represents the institution on a trip that includes visits to Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai, and features meetings at Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
UNIPVC's presence in China is part of the China Annual Conference for International Education (CACIE) and the China Education Expo (CEE), two international initiatives dedicated to education and higher learning. The mission allows for the presentation of Portuguese higher education to new audiences, the establishment of institutional contacts, and the identification of opportunities for academic and scientific collaboration.
This participation represents an opportunity to expand UNIPVC's international presence in a country with a large higher education system and with which Portugal seeks to deepen academic relations. The event occurs at a relevant moment for academic relations between the two countries, with ongoing negotiations for a new mutual recognition agreement for degrees and diplomas and the preparation of a Joint Action Plan for Higher Education 2027–2030.
Ana Teresa Oliveira's institutional agenda includes meetings at the Embassy of Portugal in Beijing, at Tsinghua University, and at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, with the aim of identifying cooperation opportunities in academic mobility, advanced training, and research.
This mission in China continues an internationalization strategy that has led UNIPVC to Latin America, Japan, and Northern Europe, generating new opportunities for cooperation and mobility. Collaboration with the International Christian University (ICU) in Japan and participation in fairs in Latin America are recent examples of the results of this commitment.
The Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo also invests in faculty development through the EPIC project, with experiences in Ireland, Japan, Finland, and Denmark, aiming to transfer acquired knowledge to 28 curricular units and an estimated 1260 students.
