Faculty of Social and Human Sciences

The portuguese Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas - FCSH) is an organic unity of NOVA University of Lisbon (UNL) and a legal person under public law, endowed with scientific, pedagogical, administrative and financial autonomy, whose public service mission is to qualify citizens at the highest level. According to its statutes, “the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of NOVA University of Lisbon is an institution dedicated to education, scientific research and cultural creation" . The Faculty's own identity stems from the coexistence of social sciences with the humanities, allowing an unusual interdisciplinarity in the Portuguese higher education panorama.

General description

The FCSH main building is inspired from the image of an open book

FCSH was established in January 1977 by Decree-Law No. 464/77, following the development of the area of Human and Social Sciences then existing in UNL and led by a group of faculty members and researchers, namely by J. S. da Silva Dias, Leonor Buescu, João Morais Barbosa, Artur Nobre de Gusmão, Fernando Gil, Augusto Mesquitela Lima, A.H. de Oliveira Marques, José Augusto França, Vitorino Magalhães Godinho, José Mattoso, Raquel Soeiro de Brito, Teolinda Gersão, Leonor Machado de Sousa, Yvete Kace Centeno and Teresa Rita Lopes. The Faculty began its activity on the 2nd of January 1978.

The FCSH is located in Berna Avenue, in the centre of Lisbon, next to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and enjoys very good access to public transport. Based on barracks that belonged to military forces, the Faculty’s facilities are divided by [1] B1 and B2 buildings (classrooms and departments), Tower A (classrooms and head office of the Languages Institute of NOVA University of Lisbon - ILNOVA]), Tower B (departments, and library Mário Sottomayor Cardia), boards of management, administrative services, canteen, Students Association and, since 2009, the ID building (Research and PhD degrees). This building, known as the former DRM (District Military Recruitment), has recently undergone a major change in order to be adapted to the objectives that it has been assigned for. In ID we find the core of the administrative support to PhD degrees, the research units associated with FCSH and classrooms for the PhD’s programmes.

In addition to teaching areas (classrooms, lecture halls and auditoriums), the FCSH also holds some socializing places, a printing room and a large courtyard. To solve logistical issues created by recent growth, new facilities are planned for the FCSH Detailed Plan of the Campolide Campus, where other units of the NOVA University of Lisbon (UNL) are already installed, the Faculty of Economics (FE), the Faculty of Law (FD) and Institute of Statistics and Information Management (ISEGI). The Rectorade of NOVA and the University residence Alfredo de Sousa are also located in the Campolide Campus.

Faculty Structure

The Faculty Structure, according to the RJIES , has the following bodies:

• Faculty Council
• Dean
• Scientific Council
• Pedagogic Council
• Student Council

Composition and election of the Faculty Council

The Faculty Council is a representative University body composed of 13 members: eight faculty members or researchers (Adelaide Miranda, Manuel Carlos Brito, Hélder Godinho, José Esteves Pereira, Adriano Duarte Rodrigues, António Marques, Filomena Molder and Maria José Roxo), one student (Isabel Sanches), and four external personalities (Francisco Pinto Balsemão, António Monteiro, António Vieira Monteiro and Luís Calado). Faculty members or researchers are elected for four years (with one possible renewal), whereas external individualities, chosen by the elected counselors in their first meeting, are nominated by the Rector.

The Faculty Council has the power to:

• Elect its President, a position that is currently held by Francisco Pinto Balsemão.
• Elect a Dean (by absolute majority, among the Full Professors and research coordinators that integrate the Faculty)
• Appreciate the Dean’s actions and adopt amendments to statutes.
• Upon a proposal by the Dean, adopt medium and long term strategic options, as well as to create, change or abolish departments, research units or services
• Decide about purchasing or selling assets
• Approving annual plans of activities, budgets and annual accounts.

The Dean

João Sàágua, the Dean

The Dean, a position currently hold by João Sàágua, is elected for four years and may be renewed only once on an electoral process that begins three months before the mandate expires. The Dean may designate up to four Vice-Deans positions currently held by Luis Baptista, Amelia Andrade, Francisco Caramelo and Rui Santos, and the associate deans João Costa and José Afonso Teixeira.

The Dean is responsible for guiding and coordinating the Faculty services, giving them unity, continuity and effectiveness. Thus, he must represent the Faculty within and outside the institution, ensure compliance with the statutes and regulations, chair the Scientific and Pedagogic Councils (which must implement the decisions), appoint executive coordinators of departments, approve academic calendars, propose the creation or extinction of programmes, coordinate the Faculty support services, conduct the administrative and financial management, take initiatives for the development of the Faculty, ensuring compliance with the resolutions taken by the collegiate bodies, and ensure the quality of teaching and research of the Faculty.

Leaders

Presidents of the FCSH Installation Committee

• December 1977 - November 1980: A. H. de Oliveira Marques
• November 1980 - May 1981: J. S. da Silva Dias
• May 1981 - May 1982: José Mattoso

FCSH’s Deans

• May 1982 - December 1986: J. Manuel Nazareth
• December 1986 - February 1988: José Mattoso
• March 1988 - May 1993: Adriano Duarte Rodrigues
• May 1993 - May 1996: J. Manuel Nazareth
• May 1996 - June 2005: Jorge Crespo
• Since June 2005: João Sàágua

Departments

Through its 13 departments, FCSH offers several programs, develops it scientific and technological mission, and provides the backup for dissemination of culture. The development of this mission is provided by the faculty members associated with the Departments - career and guests - supported by a secretariat. The coordination of each department is taken up by a Coordinator appointed by the Dean from among the career faculty members.

Today, FCSH’s Departments are:

• Anthropology
• Communication Sciences
• Education Sciences
• Musical Sciences
• Political Studies
• Portuguese Studies
• Philosophy
• Geography and Regional Planning
• History
• Art History
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures
• Linguistics
• Sociology