Where Ideas Grow

Postgraduate Student Ombudsperson

The Ombudsperson for postgraduate students offers confidential, informal, independent, and impartial dispute resolution services to all members of the i3S postgraduate community by providing information, advice, intervention and referrals.

The mandate of the Ombudsperson at the i3S is to intervene at any point, and attempt to solve issues informally before proceeding to more formal developments.

The Ombudsperson is an advocate for a nondiscriminatory procedure according to the mission of the University and not an advocate for the individual or for the administration, thus, works independently of University structures, considering all sides of a question impartially and objectively, and discerning of possible conflicts of interest. The Ombudsperson operates in an advisory capacity, and relies on the cooperation and goodwill of students and supervisors.

The appointed Postgraduate Student Ombudsperson is Fernando Jorge Monteiro, i3S researcher and FEUP faculty member, and he is expected to ameliorate existing services, as well as to repeal, amend or convert acts detrimental to students’ rights during his term. As such, his responsibilities include:

  • Advocating and promoting students’ rights and legitimate interests in a university setting;
  • Receive students’ concerns of all nature: complaints, suggestions, petitions, praises and the like;
  • Appraise said concerns and, based on the gathered information, offer recommendations to competent bodies, faculty members and other relevant actors within the University and respective Organic Units;
  • Suggest amendments to existing regulations;
  • Propose, if appropriate, new regulations.

To get their affairs heard and relayed through proper channels, students ought to set an appointment with their ombudsperson via email - fjmont@i3s.up.pt. The Postgraduate Student Ombudsperson is available in his office (116 S2C),  on Wednesday mornings between 9 and 10.30 am, upon prior appointment. Should an urgent matter arise and/or Wednesday mornings are not feasible for some reason, there is room for flexible scheduling provided there is prior contact and a time is agreed upon by email.