The Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) is one of the 18 colleges of Universidade de Lisboa, the largest Portuguese University, which is fully committed to education, research and innovation, engaged with Portuguese society within a European dimension, yet opened to the world.
ISCSP has a centennial tradition in education, once its first class dates back to 1906. Its offer includes several programmes leading up to a degree (BA, MSc and PhD) and Post graduate and Specialization courses in different domains.
Likewise, ISCSP currently hosts three Research Units, duly recognized by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and a recent international peer-reviewed evaluation process set their current classifications: the Centre for Public Administration and Public Policy and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies, that obtained the classification of Excellent; and the Orient Institute that obtained the classification of Good.
ISCSP also hosts the Centre for African Studies (CEAF), and a set of eighteen research laboratories and observatories.
All these research structures and their projects are technically and administratively assisted by the ‘R&D Support Centre’ (NAI).
Centre for Public Administration and Public Policies
The Centre for Public Administration and Public Policies (CAPP) is the leading research centre on public policies of the University of Lisbon, the largest university in Portugal. CAPP was founded in 2001 to advance knowledge and support decision making regarding the design, implementation, analysis and evaluation of public policies. Its applied research has a focus on improving the quality in governance, which will in turn also bear results to the quality of life of people.
CAPP has consolidated its membership throughout the years to become the research centre with larger critical mass in this scientific area. As the flagship research centre of School of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) of the University of Lisbon, most of CAPP members come from this host institution. However, it also attracts leading scholars and practioners from other universities (national and international), public and private sector organisations. Currently it holds 55 full members and 121 associate members. Visiting scholars from throughout the world strengthen the resident critical mass. To follow its mission, CAPP members are organised in three research groups, namely Power, Public Administration and Public Policies, Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour and Society, Communication and Culture.