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 are required to be at least 21 years old, and to have completed secondary education. Candidates over 25 with no secondary degree can be admitted after having passed the national university access examination or ad-hoc 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 promotes the Portuguese language and culture, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Universidade Aberta is one of the largest national producers of university teaching materials. The printed materials, which constitute the core of the University's courses, are usually complemented by videocassettes, audiocassettes, CD-ROMs, Internet and 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.
Its focus is on the humanities, social and behavioral sciences.