Welcome … …to the College of Education of Coimbra (ESEC) We are one Institution of the Polytechnic Institute that search continually to answer the challenges of the modern society, promoting the teaching of actual knowledge adjusted to the market necessities. Year after year, we make an effort to develop the standards of exigency to guarantee the quality and the excellence. The mission of our school is not only to teach and prepare the students for the competitive life but also stimulate the cooperation with other national and international institutions. The curricular periods of training are made in national and international enterprises. We foment the internationalization of the students through programs in Europe, Brasil and the United States of America. As a complement of the educational experience there are, continually, cultural programs. We are sure that you are going to join us! Be welcome
ESEC's educational scheme defines areas for the social organisation of the knowledge on which its degrees concentrate: Teacher Training, Social Technologies and the Arts. The multidisciplinary that is a hallmark of the professions is one of the indications of ESEC's identity, and the college has teachers with academic training in areas that range from Education Sciences to Mathematics, from Informatics to Accounting, from Audiovisuals to Portuguese, from Theatre to Psychology, from History to Sociology, from Economy to Sport, from Music to International Relations, from Philosophy to Painting, from Tourism to Sculpture, and so on. Such abilities are pertinent to the courses that ESEC offers and they can be found in the college, in such a breadth of variety and complementarities, only because ESEC is organised around courses that have certain aspects in common, but with specificities that are equally important.
1839 - during the monarchy, in the reign of D. Maria II, the Normal Primary College was founded in Coimbra. Normal Colleges were created to train primary school teachers, providing the specific knowledge for this branch of teaching. 1928 - under the Estado Novo [New State], the college was closed because of a cut-back in public spending and for political reasons, since the dictatorship did not regard investment in teacher training as one of its priorities. But the reaction to this measure forced the Government to reopen it later the same year. 1930 - normal colleges became primary teacher training colleges. 1936 - 1942 - the college was once again closed, by government decree. 1942 - 1979 - the college reopened and functioned as the Coimbra Primary Teaching Training College. 1979 - The teacher training system in Portugal underwent some changes. By government decree, all the Primary Teacher Training Colleges were closed and replaced by Higher Education Colleges [Escolas Superiores de Educação - ESE]. These were new official institutions for the training of infant and primary teachers. A new national network of colleges was established in the ambit of a Polytechnic higher education scheme. The scope of Polytechnic higher education and the Higher Education Colleges was defined by the government.
This year saw the creation of the Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra (IPC), and it was also established which Colleges would belong to it, with one being the Escola Superior de Educação (ESEC). 1979 - was also the year in which the system governing the Polytechnic higher education establishments was defined. After a period during which they were finding their identity within the higher education system (which included affirming their specificity vis-à-vis the universities and their integration in the Polytechnic higher education network), these colleges increasingly started to function. 1985 - The first Installation Board was appointed for the Escola Suuperior de Educação de Coimbra. In the 1985/86 academic year, the Installation Board introduced its firs training activities with the In-service Training Scheme for Basic and Secondary Education Teachers.
Along with the end of the Primary Teacher Training College and Infant Teacher Training College, in Coimbra, and the transfer of some of their teachers to the new Escola Superior de Educação, the first steps were taken to set up the schemes for the initial training of Infant School and Basic Education Teachers. 1987/ 88 - the first functioning academic year for ESEC. 1997 - the first Executive Board took office on 29 July, signalling the end of the installation period. ESEC's governing bodies are: the Academic Committee, the Pedagogic Committee, the Assembly of Representatives and the Executive Board. 2002 - ESEC runs 12 initial training courses and several complementary training courses. It has around 2000 students and has extended its training activities into new areas, in addition to the traditional one of teacher training. It now offers courses in tourism, communication, multimedia design, theatre and social-educational animation. 2006 – ESEC adopts the Bologna system. All programmes are reshaped and curriculum renewed. New graduate programmes offered: Portuguese Sign Language, Art & Design, Social Gerontology, Basic Education. Since 2009 – ESEC offers master programmes: Special education, Education and Leisure, Portuguese language teaching, Adult Education and Local development, Teaching of Music, Marketing and Communication, Tourism, Education for Health.
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