The agreement will establish collaboration for the Medicine course set to begin in 2026/27, underscoring UTAD’s commitment to regional medical education.

The memorandum will be signed on the day UTAD marks its 40th anniversary. It involves municipalities under the Local Health Unit of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (ULSTMAD), UTAD’s partner in the creation of the Integrated Master's Degree in Medicine.

Clinical practice

According to the university, the agreements with the municipalities will allow future students of the UTAD Medicine course to carry out clinical practice activities in the Family Health Units (USF) of their respective municipalities, thereby promoting supervised teaching in a real-world context.

The anniversary ceremony of the university, located in Vila Real, will be attended by the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, and the Secretaries of State for Higher Education, Cláudia Sarrico, and for Health, Ana Povo.

Next academic year, UTAD will add courses in Medicine, Psychomotricity, and Green Space Technologies, as well as more places in Basic Education.

In total, the university will offer 1,788 places in the National Access Competition (CNA).

In February, when vacancies at the National Access to Higher Education (CNA) were announced, Vice-Rector for Education and Quality Carla Amaral commented on the Integrated Master's Degree in Medicine. She explained that the course focuses on identifying and hiring faculty, as well as acquiring materials and equipment.

She added, “The course is strongly based on medical simulation. We are preparing to acquire equipment and adapt spaces for the new students.

This will support the teaching and learning methodologies we advocate,” as quoted in a press release.

New medicine program

UTAD’s new Medicine program will admit 40 students per year, aiming to uphold this capacity for the six-year duration of the course. The curriculum will emphasise small-group teaching, clinical casework, and simulation, with a dedicated simulation centre at ULSTMAD serving 23 health centres and the region’s main hospitals.

Interim rector Jorge Ventura and the university team have recently met with local authorities to ensure long-term connections between students and their assigned Family Health Units, aiming for consistent patient engagement and easier future integration of graduates into the region.

UTAD further aims to strengthen connections with the territory by enhancing the quality of local health services, supporting the retention of young professionals, and improving care for the region’s population.

The anniversary day begins with the plenary meeting of the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP), followed by a visit to the PRISM Laboratory to showcase solutions developed by UTAD for the detection and monitoring of natural events, such as floods and fires, as well as for the assessment of infrastructure and heritage, including buildings, monuments, and bridges.

The solemn ceremony for the 40th anniversary takes place in the afternoon.

UTAD has been experiencing an institutional crisis for a year due to a deadlock in the constitution of the General Council, and currently has an interim rector appointed by the Minister of Education.

Following a recent decision by the Supreme Administrative Court, the rector notified the seven co-opted members of the General Council, which could lead to the full installation of this body and, consequently, the scheduling of the rector's election.