The President is the highest governing, directing, and external representation body of IPCA, responsible for leading the institution’s policies and presiding over its Management Council, Academic Council, and Council for Evaluation and Quality.
The President is assisted by a maximum of three vice-presidents and, additionally, by pro-presidents, who are chosen and appointed freely by the president and may come from outside the institution.
The president’s term lasts for four years and can be renewed once, as stipulated in the bylaws.
Contact Presidential Support Office E-mail: gapresidencia@ipca.pt
The Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA) is the youngest Public Higher Education Institution, established on December 19, 1994, with its headquarters in the city of Barcelos, a municipality located in the north of Portugal. The IPCA campus is a green, safe, and healthy environment that warmly welcomes all who visit this institution. It is on the campus in Barcelos that the majority of IPCA’s educational activities take place, including the offering of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, postgraduate courses, and specialized training. Additionally, it serves as the hub for scientific activities associated with research, development, innovation, and knowledge transfer, among other social, recreational, sporting, and associative activities.
In addition to its headquarters in Barcelos, IPCA also offers educational programs in the municipalities of Braga (since 2014) and Guimarães (since 2015), including Technical Higher Professional Courses (CTeSP) and advanced and short-term training courses.
Aware of its purpose and responsibilities, IPCA has defined its mission as follows: “To contribute to the development of society, stimulate cultural creation, applied research, and reflective and humanistic thinking. As part of the European higher education space, it provides areas of knowledge for attractive professional activities at the national and international levels, promoting mobility, employability, and reciprocal relationships with the community” (cf. Article 2 of IPCA’s Statutes).
Within the polytechnic system, IPCA is now recognised for the excellence and quality of its education and its noteworthy achievements in applied research. This recognition is the result of a clear vision of IPCA’s mission and its actions in the community, region, and the country, as well as the definition of goals to be achieved. The challenges and constraints faced in managing this institution have not hindered its growth and sustainable development.
One of IPCA’s important goals in fulfilling its mission and contributing to the development of the region in which it is located is the commitment to offering a diverse range of educational programs. This diversity extends not only to the areas of study offered, aligning with the needs of the business community but also to the methods of teaching applied, including daytime, evening, and e-learning programs, as well as the degrees awarded.
Therefore, IPCA is committed to providing more education to more students, consolidating training proposals for professionals in various areas and for various audiences, and contributing to increasing the qualifications of the population at the higher education level through targeted actions.
The challenges for the future involve continuing to focus on the quality of educational offerings and their alignment with the research conducted and the excellence of its faculty. The strong demand from prospective higher education candidates for IPCA’s programs, the increasing number of first-choice applicants in recent years, the high number of full-time faculty members holding doctoral and/or specialist degrees, IPCA’s recognition both nationally and internationally, and the employability and satisfaction of employers with IPCA graduates are just a few indicators that reflect the present and guide the strategy to be pursued in the future.
The launch of the School of Design in its new premises in the city center of Barcelos starting in the 2018/2019 academic year, the opening of IPCA’s Hotel School in Guimarães starting in the 2019/2020 academic year, the completion of the School of Technology and IPCA’s library facilities starting in the 2018/2019 academic year, and the commitment to a green, safe, and environmentally friendly campus are projects and investments that have already been decided and are underway, contributing to the fulfillment of IPCA’s mission in the coming years.
In this dynamic, demanding, rigorous, and competitive context, we embrace this project today in leading this noble institution. It represents a challenge, an opportunity, and, most importantly, the desire to continue a project that began over 20 years ago and to be part of the history, life, and decisions of IPCA, contributing to its affirmation and consolidation. It is a comprehensive, integrative project that relies on the collaboration of ALL.
The President,
Maria José Fernandes
Maria José Fernandes is a Principal Coordinator Professor affiliated with the Department of Accounting and Taxation at the School of Management of the Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave. She began her career in 1995 and she holds the title of an associate professor in Management from the Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão (ISEG) and a Ph.D. in Business Sciences, specializing in Accounting from the University of Santiago de Compostela.
Since April 2022, President Maria José Fernandes has been serving as the President of the Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP). She has been one of the authors of the Financial Yearbook of Portuguese Municipalities since 2005 and has assumed the role of coordinator for the Financial Yearbook since 2019.
Has been an integrated member of the Center for Research in Accounting and Taxation IPCA (CICF) since 2008, specializing in Public Accounting, and served as Director from 2008 to 2017.
Within the School of Management, president Maria José Fernandes has held various roles, including Director of the School from 2000 to 2003, President of the Technical-Scientific Council from 2007 to 2017, and President of the Pedagogical Council from 2000 to 2003.
Between 2010 and 2017, she was a member of the General Council of IPCA, representing the faculty of the Department of Accounting and Taxation at the School of Management.
President Maria José Fernandes is a member of the Order of Certified Accountants and served as a member of the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2018. Since 2021, she has been the President of the specialty college in Public Accounting of OCC.
She actively engages with the community, giving lectures upon invitation by various local and national entities and associations.
