Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Mission & Goals

UCP is an independent not-for-profit organization of public utility, created by the Congregation for Catholic Education (Holy See) under an international treaty, the Concordat between Portugal and the Vatican, and recognised by the Portuguese state in 1971. UCP's mission is excellence in academic training and the cultivation of science for the common good. Taking on the principles of Christian humanism within an independent ethos that respects diversity and explores free thought, UCP pursues its mission based on three mainstays: teaching, research and innovation, and service and university social responsibility. Within the Portuguese context, UCP promotes integrated training geared towards the global context, based on the principles of truth and respect for individuals and the environment. UCP's vision is to be recognized as a leading European university in critical research and transformative core teaching ant to be ranked among the best Catholic universities at a global level.