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Institutional - Social Responsibility

FDUP is aware of the relevant role it plays in education and scientific research, and is strongly committed to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030). For this reason, it has been implementing several social responsibility practices, in its various dimensions, which you can consult on this page.

Inclusion, Equality and Solidarity

The social inclusion of the FDUP community, based in principles of social justice, human rights and social cohesion is one of the pillars that guide the activity of the Faculty. FDUP aims to contribute to the implementation of inclusion and diversity valuing policies and practices, with particular emphasis on teaching and learning processes, and on research and professional activity.

At this level, it is possible to highlight the practices that the Faculty has been adopting, through its Student, Employability and Alumni Office (GEEA), of monitoring and supporting the inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs, in close articulation with the Inclusion Support Unit (NAI) of U.Porto. Students with Special Educational Needs at FDUP can book individual appointments with GEEA here.

Also through GEEA, and in collaboration with U.Porto, FDUP promotes several volunteering activities, aimed at the whole academic community. Student Volunteering is an example of success, with great involvement from FDUP students, focused on fighting school dropout and the academic underachievement among students from schools in Porto.

In order to ensure equal opportunity regarding access to our courses and to reward the merit of those who stand out for their academic achievement, U.Porto promotes and/or sponsors a wide range of financial support for its students and researchers, where the FDUP community is included. Among these, we highlight the SASUP Scholarships, the Merit Scholarships and the Scientific Scholarships.

In order to improve the quality of life of its community, FDUP has closely followed the U.Porto project "Conciliação4U.Porto", which aims to create the conditions that promote a better balance between professional responsibilities, family time and personal activities. The website "[email protected] Portal" project is soon to be launched, which will provide access to information and the possibility of online interaction with other professionals.

In order to promote gender equality, FDUP is aligned with the Gender Equality Plan of the University of Porto, which recommends the implementation of several measures to promote gender equality within the University. There are four priority intervention areas:

  • Leadership and Decision Making;
  • Recruitment, Selection and Career Progression;
  • Gender Dimension in Research and Knowledge Transfer;
  • Gender Biases and Stereotypes, Sexism and Harassment.

Finally, at the scientific research level, the Faculty has not neglected its role in social inclusion. The CIJ - Centre for Legal Research project, “Vulnerability and Diversity: Fundamental Rights in Context” stands out, which aimed to reflect on fundamental rights in a context of diversity and to contribute to cement an inclusive society.

Health and Well-Being

FDUP is articulated with the U.Porto in promoting the accessibility, by all its students, to a wide range of health services, with appointments of various specialities, including psychological support and nutrition, which may be booked through the Social Services of the U.Porto (SASUP).

Additionally, the Faculty has recently made male and female contraceptives available free of charge to its students, in a partnership with the Rectory of the U.Porto, with the aim of promoting sexual and reproductive health care.

Through GEEA, FDUP promotes the welcoming of its students, providing counselling, support and consultancy services in the vocational and professional guidance process, in building tools to access the labour market, about professional opportunities, access to job offers, psychological support and academic integration (emotional problems, adaptation difficulties, anxiety, depressive states and other associated problems) and support to Students with Special Educational Needs. You can book your appointment here.

Quality Education and Research

FDUP promotes the sharing of knowledge between the scientific community and society, supporting free access to its scientific production, in accordance with the Open Access Policy Regulation of the U.Porto, with the Open Science Policy of the European Union and with the FCT Standards for Open Access. In fact, the majority of the publications produced by its Research Centres – Centre for Legal Research (CIJ) and Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Crime, Justice and Security of the School of Criminology - Faculty of Law of the University of Porto (CJS) - are in open access. You can also access other works by our teachers and researchers here.

Also, the activities of these Research & Development Units (seminars, conferences, workshops, among others) are open to the participation of the general community. Stay tuned to Events on this Portal [link para os eventos].

In addition, there are several Electronic Resources available through the FDUP Documentation Services, which allow Open Access to the latest scientific research.

Finally, FDUP, through U.Porto, ensures its community the support to the publication of scientific articles in Open Access. Also, within CIJ - Centre for Legal Research, its researchers have incentives (funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology) to publish in open access, contributing to science dissemination.

Sustainability

Thinking about the well-being of current and future generations, FDUP positions itself as an agent of change in favour of sustainable development, where several examples can be highlighted.

In 2021, the Faculty made several recycling bins available on all its floors, in order to encourage the separation of waste and recycling, aiming environmental preservation. FDUP also has implemented several measures to reduce its energy consumption, as well as for the energy certification of its building.

At a local level, FDUP is one of the institutions subscribing to the Porto Climate Pact, an initiative that will undertake various activities aiming at the carbon neutrality of the city of Porto.

Also, FDUP scientific research does not forget the climate action. For example, there is protocol between the School of Criminology and the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds [link para o protocol] which aims the development of methodologies of diagnosis, intervention and prevention of crimes against the environment. Finally, the CIJ’s project “Common Home of Humanity”, that advocates the global governance of the Earth's natural resources and which has already contributed to the approval, by the Portuguese Parliament, of the Basic Law on Climate, which includes the status of Climate as a Common Heritage of Humanity.