U.Porto Memory

Rectors of the University of Porto

	José Alfredo Mendes de Magalhães 4th Rector (1926-1928) Portrait by Agostinho Salgado

Biographical synopsis

Alfredo Magalhães was born on 20 April 1871 in S. Salvador da Gandra, borough of Valença do Minho, and he died in Porto on 17 October 1957. He attended preparatory lessons at the Polytechnic Academy of Porto before studying Medicine at the Medical-Surgical School of Porto where he graduated from. After graduating on 28 July 1896, he started working as doctor in the Alentejo. However, shortly after, he travelled to Paris for an internship, and specialized in Dermatology and Syphilology. Back in Porto, he opened a private practice which he kept open for several years. He started his lecturing career in 1902 after applying for the position of Substitute Lecturer in the medical section of the Medical-Surgical School of Porto. In 1911 he became a Permanent Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of the newly created University of Porto. Regarding the teaching of medicine, he was Head of Histology, Material Medical and General Therapeutics. He was appointed Faculty Dean between 1923 and 1925. During the celebration of the first century of the Porto Royal School of Surgery, he launched the movement that led to the founding of the Júlio Dinis Maternity. José Alfredo Magalhães became interested in active politics from an early age and was a militant Republican. His political intervention was intensified with the proclamation of the Republic; he was appointed as constituent Member of Parliament for Lisbon (1911) and later for Mozambique. Additionally, he held several political positions and his political persona was ever-present throughout his life. Among the several positions held, he was Minister of Public Education during Sidónio Pais’ government and also Óscar Carmonas’s, years later. He was responsible for the closing down of the Faculty of Arts (Humanities) of the University where he Rector. He was appointed Rector of the University of Porto on 26 June 1916, after being the most voted out of the three by University Assembly. He remained in that position until 1928. Considering that he was simultaneously Rector of the University of Porto and Minister of Public Educations, Alfredo Magalhães was particularly dedicated to the University’s problems, such as funding issues and the University’s premises. He also endeavoured to establish cordial relations with the students and repeatedly highlighted the social and scientific duty of universities and their role in the country’s modernization and progress.

ALVES, Jorge Fernandes; ARAÚJO, Francisco – Alfredo Magalhães, in “Os Reitores da Universidade do Porto 1911-2011”. Porto, U.Porto / Fundação Engenheiro António de Almeida, 2011, p.87.