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University of Minho – Department of Earth Sciences

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Structure and Governing Bodies

The Department of Earth Sciences is a permanent organic sub-unit of the School of Sciences of the University of Minho. Its mission is to create and transmit knowledge in the Earth sciences and related fields; it organises scientific-pedagogical and scientific-technological programmes and projects and manages resources in this field. It has academic autonomy, without prejudice to the powers of the School’s governing bodies, and is governed by its Regulations (in Portuguese), approved by the Rector on 11 November 2021.

Responsibilities

  1. Managing its human and material resources, in close collaboration with the research centres, to ensure good performance in line with its specific objectives;
  2. Proposing the creation, restructuring, suspension or closure of degree programmes and non-degree courses, as autonomous projects or with other partners;
  3. Defining pedagogical guidelines and teaching and assessment methods, ensuring scientific quality and providing the human and material resources needed for teaching;
  4. Working with the School’s Scientific Council on the scientific scrutiny of competitions and academic examinations;
  5. Promoting the scientific and pedagogical merit and the professional qualification of its members and collaborators;
  6. Promoting interdisciplinarity through collaboration with other units and institutions, in Portugal and abroad;
  7. Promoting national and international cooperation and participation in higher education networks in its fields;
  8. Developing projects that engage with society, including services to the community.

Governing bodies

a) Department Council
The representative collegial body responsible for strategic decisions. It is chaired by the Director and includes the full-time career academic staff holding a doctorate and one representative of the non-academic staff. It meets in plenary at least three times a year and also works as a Coordinating Committee restricted to academic staff holding a doctorate.

b) Director
The single-person body that leads and represents the Department. The Director is elected by the Department Council for a two-year term, renewable twice, and appoints a Deputy Director.
Director: Renato Henriques
Deputy Director: Pedro Pimenta Simões

c) Executive Committee
The body that manages and coordinates the running of the Department. It is chaired by the Director and includes the Deputy Director and elected representatives of the academic staff holding a doctorate, numbering 20% of the full-time academic staff holding a doctorate, for a two-year term.
Election for the 2026–2028 term on 28 October 2026 (early voting on 21 October), in the DCT Library, 10:00–11:30.

Associated research centre

Earth Sciences Centre of the University of Minho, associated with the Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT).