Autonomy

Statutory

As part of its statutory autonomy, the responsibilities of the General Board are:

1. Prepare its own statutes which, under the law, spell out its mission, pedagogic and scientific objectives, embody their autonomy and define its organic structure, and decide on its review after four years of its publication or last review, or at any time by decision of two thirds of its members in active employment.
2. Approve the amendment to the Statutes by a majority of two thirds of the votes cast, when proposed by any of its members or by the Rector.

Pedagogical

1. In exercising its pedagogical autonomy, and in line with the planning of national education, science and culture policies, the University of Porto has the power to create, suspend and terminate the study cycles conferring academic degrees.
2. The University of Porto has the autonomy to develop study plans, define the object of course units, define the teaching and learning methods, allocate resources and choose the knowledge evaluation processes; teachers and students have intellectual freedom in the processes of teaching and learning.

Scientific

The scientific autonomy gives the University of Porto the ability to define, programme and conduct research and other scientific activities, subject to the criteria and procedures for public research funding.

Cultural

As part of its cultural autonomy, the University of Porto has the ability to define its programme of training and cultural initiatives.

Administrative, Financial and Economic

1. As part of its administrative autonomy, the University of Porto may, in cases provided by law and in statutes, issue regulations, perform legal acts and sign administrative contracts.
2. As part of its financial autonomy, the University of Porto freely manages its financial resources according to criteria established, including the annual amounts that are allocated to it in the government budget, and can draw up multi-annual plans, prepare and execute its budget, settle and charge its own revenues, and authorise expenditures and make payments.
3. Within asset management autonomy, the University of Porto disposes of its assets without other limitations than those established by law and its statutes. It may purchase and rent, in accordance with the law, land or buildings required for its operation.
   The assets of the University of Porto consist of both tangible or intangible goods, economic rights and obligations, subject to private legal transactions, pertaining to the achievement of its goals, including those which have been transferred by the government or other public or private entities, or those which have been assigned to it for the direct and indirect pursuit of its duties and responsibilities.
   The property assets of the University of Porto also consist of the buildings purchased or built, even in state-owned land after the entry into force, as appropriate, of Law 108/88, of 24 September and Law 54/90, of 5 September.

Disciplinary

The University of Porto has the power to punish, in accordance with the law, statutes and regulations, the disciplinary violations committed by teachers, researchers and other staff and agents, as well as by students. Sentence imposed under the disciplinary autonomy will always have the right of appeal under the law.