Excellence and advanced scientific research

Portuguese and foreign PhD holders can apply for post-doctoral courses in all areas of legal specialisation, which are conducted under the supervision of a Full or Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon. Post-doctoral programmes are based on a proposal submitted by each candidate to the Scientific Council, the body with the power to approve them. The proposal must be accompanied by a favourable opinion from the supervising professor and the programme requires the submission of a written scientific paper at the end.

The methodology of the courses includes the participation and organisation of lectures and advanced scientific research activities, as well as scientific intervention in the various study cycles taught.

The public defence of the scientific work is held, within a maximum of 90 days of submission, before a jury appointed by the Scientific Council, on a proposal from the Postdoctoral Programmes Coordinating Professor. The jury comprises between three and five Full or Associate Professors from the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, including the supervising Professor, another Professor from the scientific area in question, other than the supervising Professor, and a Professor from another scientific area.

All the members of the jury are accused Professors, with the Scientific Council appointing the President of the jury and the main accused.

At the end of the defence of the scientific work, and after hearing the jury, the supervising professor draws up and signs a document containing the classification awarded and the respective reasoning, to which the opinions of the other members of the jury will be attached.