Aberta University

Infobox University
name = Open University
native_name = Universidade Aberta
latin_name =


image_size =
motto =
mottoeng =
established = 1988
type = Public distance education
endowment =
staff =
faculty =
president =
provost =
principal =
rector =
chancellor =
vice_chancellor =
dean =
head_label =
head =
students =
undergrad =
postgrad =
doctoral =
city = Lisbon
state =
country = Portugal
campus =
free_label =
free =
colors =
colours =
mascot =
nickname =
affiliations =
website = http://www.univ-ab.pt/

The Universidade Aberta (Open University) is a Portuguese distance education public university, created in 1988. Its headquarters are located in Lisbon, it has two regional centres in Coimbra and Porto, and study centres all over the country.

Students, who come from all over the world, are required to be 21 years old, or over, and to have completed secondary education. Candidates over 25 with no secondary degree can be admitted after having passed the national university access examination.

Thousands of students, from all over the world, are enrolled in distance education undergraduate programmes. Several hundred Portuguese students follow post-graduation face-to-face courses.

Together with its main activities in teaching and scientific research, Universidade Aberta is engaged in the promotion of the Portuguese language and culture, in Portugal and abroad, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Universidade Aberta is one of the largest national producer of university didactic materials. The printed materials, which constitute the core of the University's courses, are usually complemented by one or more of the following learning facilities: videocassettes, audiocassettes, CD-ROMs, Internet, TV and radio broadcasts.

Face-to-face and mixed modes (including video-conferencing) are used for postgraduate programmes. Counselling services by telephone, fax and e-mail are available in the university and at the study centres.

Students of Universidade Aberta have their own body of representatives.

This distance teaching university is neither as selective nor as demanding as the traditional public universities of Portugal, and do not award any degrees in many notable and popular fields, specially at undergraduate level. Its focus are on the humanities, social and behavioral sciences.

ee also

*List of universities in Portugal
*Higher education in Portugal

External links

* [http://www.univ-ab.pt/ Universidade Aberta]