A quick glance around the picturesque university campuses and the reasons to study at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria become startlingly obvious - there are that many. From the facilities and exemplary standard of teaching, to the climate, landscape and opportunity to surf, the list really is exhaustive.

Portugal is fast becoming one of the most desirable places for engineers to work and study in the EU, a remarkable achievement, by all accounts. As recently as 2007, it was described as the ‘new sick man of Europe’, a moniker customarily reserved for Europe’s most stricken country, and one that has, in most cases, been notoriously difficult to shake off. Not for Portugal. Fast-forward to the present and the country finds itself in the advanced stages of a swift, and from some perspectives unexpected, recovery.

Engineering involves putting scientific principles into practical applications. From building bridges to the next Facebook, it is a popular field of study that is offered at almost all large public universities and research institutes. It can also be categorized into many disciplines such as chemical, mechanical, civil, environmental, software, electrical engineering and more. No matter what discipline prospective students choose to specialise in, they must first choose the right school to pursue their engineering studies.