To study at ISPA is to study at an institution of European prestige in the areas of Psychology, Social and Human Sciences, and Biology.

With nearly 50 years of history, it remains one of the schools that place more psychologists in the workplace and it is one of Portugal’s institutes of higher education, be it public or private, with the best rates of post-graduate employment. Before the Bologna Process came into force, the ISPA Degree in Applied Psychology was ranked among the three best in the country. With the implementation of Bologna standards, ISPA was the only school of private and cooperative higher education to have the Integrated Master Degree in Psychology (MIP) recognised by the Ministry for Science, Technology, and Higher Education.

In July 2009, the oldest Portuguese institute of higher education in the area of Psychology and Social and Human Sciences had the excellence of its institutional grid recognised in its conversion to University which, among other things, allows the Institute to organise autonomously or in association 3rd cycle Doctorate degrees.

ISPA’s prestige is acknowledged and recognised internationally by the academic and scientific community. Proof of this is its intense cultural and scientific activity which translates into the various events that the Institute promotes (talks, seminars, and conferences) with the international participation of world-renowned academics in Psychology.

In parallel with the highly qualified teaching staff and premises and facilities that provide all the conditions for the teaching and learning of Psychology, Social and Human Sciences, and Biology, a primary aim of ISPA is to stimulate scientific activity and also promote students’ acquisition of extra-curricular skills, mainly in terms of culture.

At ISPA, the teaching-learning process takes place in an environment that fosters contact and the sharing of ideas and experiences among students and teachers, which is an essential factor and which is viewed by the student community as vital for the image of a school centred in its students.

Since its foundation, ISPA has aimed to have its activity and university projects revolve around six fundamental axes, which are:

• Qualified teaching staff;
• Scientific research;
• Scientific and pedagogical training based on a plural perspective, with a particular emphasis on extra-curricular cultural activities;
• Internationalisation of the pedagogical and scientific activity supported by the establishment of association and partnership protocols with other universities and higher education or scientific institutes, mainly in Europe and the Americas;
• Stimulation of the scientific community through the systematic organisation of scientific events and a regular editorial activity of national and international scope;
• Social and community intervention.