NOVA Law School

General

The NOVA School of Law's mission is to enhance the differences and individuality of each student, making diversity a starting point for adapting to the challenges that law meets.
Through the debate between ideas, cultures and talents, we create knowledge, innovative practices and open new paths for the future.
To study Law at NOVA School of Law is to learn to change the world. It is to accept the challenge of having an active role that makes a difference in society and in those around us. For us, teaching is to train agents of change, active and global jurists, conscious and humanistic. Because in today's world it is no longer enough to be competent, it is not only necessary to foresee, understand and mediate interests and disputes, but it is decisive to have the ability to think of the best, of an ideal future for their partners, for their clients, for the citizens.
At NOVA School of Law we train those who want more than to be competent, those who want to be different, those who hope to make a difference, in Portugal and in the world. Those who believe that in each one of us there is the potential to promote a more fair society. And they don't resign from their responsibility in this task.
We do not format students, nor do we fill heads, but rather we enhance the individual qualities of each one, we open minds and horizons. In a constant, tireless and particular work, all of us - teachers, employees, students - question what exists, inside and outside our doors, we look for new realities, we go beyond walls and frontiers.
This is the commitment of NOVA, which assumes its constant evolution and adaptation, permanently observing the change and the new demands of society, the market and the students.
To choose NOVA School of Law is to dare a NEW way of learning how to think about Law.
We are a team that believes that the proximity between the student and the professor is essential for a good learning process.
From the very beginning of the degree, we advocate the development of a critical and creative spirit, promoting dialogued classes and specialized study support, capable of giving rise to a legal outlook that anticipates problems and, if not possible, is also capable of solving them innovatively.
We are committed to constant pedagogical innovation, and we believe that a contemporary jurist must be capable of knowing and managing the multidisciplinarity that results from a global and digital world in deep transformation, which questions the kind of Law we have and need to have.
We insist on international and technological training.
We do not give up solid knowledge, but we intensify it with best practice, because we believe in the dialogue between these two realities.
And we encourage the development of humanistic jurists, capable of personalized and individualized views, aware of their transformative role in the construction of a more humane contemporary society, and capable of responding positively to the challenges it faces.
In all these courses there is a wide choice of optional subjects, whose richness and variety is one of the original features of the curricular offer at NOVA School of Law.

Mobility students

The NOVA School of Law participates in several European programs, namely Erasmus + and hosts several partnerships with international higher education institutions for student mobility through bilateral agreements.

Coordinator: : Professor Doutor Francisco Pereira Coutinho
Contacts: Rita Jordão/Rita Jordão/Miguel Rosa
Tel: + 351 21 384 74 00 - Button 6
E-MAIL: mobility@novalaw.unl.pt

Academic authorities

Admission and enrollment

Bachelor:
- National contest to access Higher Education in Portugal - managed by DGES;
- Special Contests:
- International Student Statute
Change of institution/course pair
- Holders of other higher education courses
- Contest for over 23 years old
Information on the School's website, at https://novalaw.unl.pt/en/bachelors-in-law/.

Masters and PhD:
- Local contests.
Information on the School's website, at https://novalaw.unl.pt/en/masters/ and https://novalaw.unl.pt/en/doctoral-degrees-phds/.

Practical information

Libraries

Documentary Fund
The Library´s Documentary Fund currently comprises some 40.000 monographic titles with digital support, and some 255 periodical titles, of which over 153 are foreign publications. Focusing fundamentally on the area of Law, however, works of Philosophy, Political Thought, Sociology, Economics, History, etc. can be found. Reference works (dictionaries and encyclopaedias) are also available for local consultation.

The documentary fund is classified according to specific thematic areas. This classification allows you to understand the arrangement of the publications on the shelves. However, it must be remembered that interdisciplinarity implies a work classified and arranged in a certain area could, in your opinion, be classified differently. It is therefore important to use the automated catalogues and not just browse the shelves. With regard to periodical publications, they are divided into Portuguese and foreign publications. Issues for the current year can be found in the reading room display. Issues from previous years can be found in the periodicals room.

Other equipments

- 1 Residence: University Residence ¿ Alfredo de Sousa Residence
- 2 Libraries: NOVA School of Law Library and Vitorino Magalhães Godinho Library
- 3 Study Rooms: Alfredo de Sousa Residence, Colégio Almada Negreiros and a room for graduates, scholars and researchers at the Alfredo de Sousa Residence

Interchange programs

The "Bolsas Ibero-Americanas para Estudantes de Licenciatura e Mestrado Santander Universidades" programme promoted by the Santander Group with which it aims to strengthen the mobility and exchange of students between Ibero-American universities, a necessary condition to advance towards the construction of an Ibero-American space of socially responsible knowledge. The activity must take place in an Ibero-American university, partner of NOVA, in a country different from the university of origin and the student's place of birth. In the 2019 Call the universities participating in the Programme are Universities of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Uruguay listed in the list of participating universities.

I would also like to inform you that a student who is a SAS scholarship holder, and who does a period of mobility under the Erasmus+ programme, will also have a complementary grant for doing the mobility.


A - Mobility at UNL
Students in the first cycle at NOVA School of Law may attend courses up to 15 credits at another UNL organic unit in replacement of optional courses at NOVA School of Law.


B - International Mobility
Incoming Students - Erasmus students from other universities at NOVA School of Law


1. Erasmus+ Programme
Allows European students to do an exchange of one semester or one academic year in another European university (as long as it is outside their country of origin), with immediate recognition of the credits, and with the possibility to access a Scholarship from the European Commission. This allows Portuguese students to have a unique experience, outside their home country, and those who stay in Portugal to receive and have contact with students coming from other countries, contributing to the global vision of internationalization of NOVA School of Law.

1.1. Students selected, in their home University, to participate in the Erasmus+ Programme at NOVA School of Law, receive an acceptance email and information about the submission of the online application (Mobilidade Net), and must upload the following documents:
- Identification Document;
- Academic transcript of records;
- Learning Agreement (already signed by the student and the Institutional Coordinator of the home University);
- EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
- Proof of language competence (UC's taught in PT: minimum B1; UC's taught in EN: minimum B2)

1.2. In cooperation with the Students' Union of NOVA School of Law, the Mobility Office organizes a number of events, in order to help the integration of incoming students in the academic community (Welcome week; Orientation Day...).

1.3. Exchange Students have the possibility to make the Student Card, they are given a student number and an email account, which will allow them to access the reserved area, Moodle platform, Internet and Microsoft Office applications in the user's optics.

1.4. At the end of the mobility period, the Mobility Office signs the student's Certificate of Attendance, document that proves the period that the student was at NOVA School of Law, with the start and end date of the mobility and as soon as the grades are available in the Academic Management System (CSE) the Transcript of Records (signed by the Erasmus Coordinator) is issued and sent by email directly to the home University.



2. Themis
The purpose of the Network is to promote academic cooperation in the field of international trade law and to encourage the internationalisation of Master's students. It is a programme aimed at Master's students in the areas of Law and Economics, which provides that the first semester (fall/winter semester) is done in one of the partner Universities, and requires the enrolment of at least 30 ECTS credits and the approval of 24 ECTS credits. Besides the fact that students are required to spend a semester abroad, at one of the partner Universities, the students selected to participate in the Programme have to do an International Internship (organised by the student him/herself), and in the 2nd semester (Spring semester) students must participate in the THEMIS Seminar (lasting 3 days), organised by one of the partner Universities.

2.1. Students selected, at their home University, to participate in the Themis Programme at NOVA School of Law, receive an acceptance email and information on the submission of the online application (Mobilidade Net), and must upload the following documents:
- Identification Document;
- Academic transcript of records;
- Learning Agreement (already signed by the student and the Institutional Coordinator of the home University);
- EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)/copy of the Individual Health Insurance (countries outside Europe);
- Proof of language competence (UC's taught in PT: minimum B1; UC's taught in EN: minimum B2).

2.2. In cooperation with the Students' Union of NOVA School of Law, the Mobility Office organizes a number of events, in order to help the integration of incoming students in the academic community (Welcome week; Orientation Day...).

2.3. Exchange Students have the possibility to make the Student Card, they are given a student number and an email account, which will allow them to access the reserved area, Moodle platform, Internet and Microsoft Office applications in the user's optics.

2.4. At the end of the mobility period, the Mobility Office signs the student's Certificate of Attendance, document that proves the period that the student was at NOVA School of Law, with the start and end date of the mobility and as soon as the grades are available in the Academic Management System (CSE) the Transcript of Records (signed by the Institutional Coordinator) is issued and sent by email directly to the home University.



3. Programa Padre António Vieira
The Padre António Vieira Programme (cooperation programme with Brazil) promotes the mobility of students and teaching staff of NOVA School of Law with Brazilian Law Schools that have signed a cooperation agreement for this purpose, or that are part of Universities connected to Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, through a cooperation framework agreement. Students may apply for an exchange period for one semester or for a full academic year.

3.1. Students selected, at their home University, to participate in the Padre António Veira Programme at NOVA School of Law, receive an acceptance email and information on the submission of the online application (Mobilidade Net), and must upload the following documents:
- Identification Document;
- Academic transcript of records;
- Study Plan (already signed by the student and the Institutional Coordinator from the home University);
- Copy of PB4/Individual Health Insurance;
- Proof of language competence (UC's taught in PT: minimum B1; UC's taught in EN: minimum B2).

3.2 In cooperation with the Students' Union of NOVA School of Law, the Mobility Office organizes a number of events, in order to help the integration of incoming students in the academic community (Welcome week; Orientation Day...).

3.3 Exchange Students have the possibility to make the Student Card, they are given a student number and an email account, which will allow them to access the reserved area, Moodle platform, Internet and Microsoft Office applications in the user's optics.

3.4 At the end of the mobility period, the Mobility Office signs the student's Certificate of Attendance, document that proves the period that the student was at NOVA School of Law, with the start and end date of the mobility and as soon as the grades are available in the Academic Management System (CSE) the Transcript of Records (signed by the Institutional Coordinator) is issued and sent by email directly to the home University.


4. Exchange with the University of Macau

4.1. In 2013, NOVA School of Law signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Macau, with the aim of strengthening ties between West and East, allowing students from both Institutions, through exchange periods, to strengthen cultural ties and expand knowledge and opportunities. The exchange of students under this programme implies the prior agreement of the home institution and the host institution and is aimed for 1st and 2nd cycle students.

4.2. Students selected, at their home University, to participate in the Exchange Programme with the University of Macau at NOVA School of Law, receive an acceptance email and information on the submission of the online application (Mobilidade Net), and must upload the following documents:
- Identification Document;
- Academic transcript of records;
- Study Plan (already signed by the student and by the Institutional Coordinator of the home University);
- Copy of the Individual Health Insurance;
- Proof of language competence (UC's taught in PT: minimum B1; UC's taught in EN: minimum B2).

4.3. In cooperation with the Students' Union of NOVA School of Law, the Mobility Office organizes a number of events, in order to help the integration of incoming students in the academic community (Welcome week; Orientation Day...).

4.4. Exchange Students have the possibility to make the Student Card, they are given a student number and an email account, which will allow them to access the reserved area, Moodle platform, Internet and Microsoft Office applications in the user's optics.

4.5. At the end of the mobility period, the Mobility Office signs the student's Certificate of Attendance, document that proves the period that the student was at NOVA School of Law, with the start and end date of the mobility and as soon as the grades are available in the Academic Management System (CSE) the Transcript of Records (signed by the Institutional Coordinator) is issued and sent by email directly to the home University.



5. European Master's Degree in Human Rights Democratisation (E.MA)
The E.MA has as its fundamental objective to train high level professionals in the field of human rights and democratisation, qualified to work as academics, staff members or field workers for intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organisations. In addition, this Master seeks to create a European network of curriculum development and staff exchanges between Universities in the field of human rights, and has also given rise to a significant group of former students ("Alumni") who maintain and expand contacts and initiatives in this area. Today the several Alumni Associations of the multiple 'regional' Masters are brought together in the Global Campus Alumni (GCA).

Within the E.MA, NOVA School of Law should be available to host up to three students during the 2nd semester of each academic year, giving them the possibility to enrol in subjects taught in English language, for a minimum of 9 ECTS credits, and professors available to supervise their research work for the thesis.

From 2000 to date, NOVA School of Law has received 53 E.MA students whose thesis were prepared in Lisbon and supervised by professors from our Faculty.

The Global Campus of Human Rights (GC), based in Venice, an international network of which NOVA University is part through NOVA School of Law, is composed of a group of European Universities and Universities from all other regions of the world, which provide and carry out research and training in the field of HUMAN RIGHTS (HR). It was formed as an association of the multiple organizations of 'regional' Masters in Human Rights, in an organization that today includes:
- GC Europe ("GC Europe", Venice, Italy);
- GC South East Europe (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina);
- GC Africa (University of Pretoria, South Africa);
- Asia-Pacific GC (Mahidol University, Thailand);
- GC Caucasus (Yerevan University, Armenia);
- GC Latin America Caribbean (San Martín University, Argentina);
- GC Arab World (Saint Joseph University, Lebanon)


6. Other UNL Programmes
There are other exchange programmes managed by the Rectorate of Universidade Nova de Lisboa where students can be hosted by the different organic units of NOVA:
- Pre-University Semester;
- Santander Portuguese-Brazilian Scholarships;
- International Credit Mobility (Erasmus+);
- AULP



Outgoing Students - NOVA School of Law students abroad
All students who are duly enrolled at NOVA School of Law in a higher education study programme leading to a degree, in the academic year in which they apply and in the academic year in which they carry out the mobility are eligible. Only 1st cycle students who have completed or obtained the equivalence of a minimum of 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) of course units can apply.
The list of Erasmus+ agreements is available in the Faculty's website, as well as all the information about how to apply.
The applications for the Themis Programme take place during the last half of February and the students who wish to apply for the remaining mobility programmes can do it during the first half of March, on the website by filling in an application form, here: netpa > login > out. The students should choose, in order of preference, four Universities and the admitted applications will be ranked according to the highest average of all the curricular units already accomplished by the student in the study cycle in which he is enrolled, weighted by ECTS and calculated to hundredths. In case of a tie, preference is given to the candidate who presents the highest number of ECTS credits and of curricular units already completed. Students are placed in existing vacancies in the universities to which they have applied according to the preferential order of options included in their application, followed by the nomination at the chosen university.

After the nomination and acceptance by the host University, the documents required to formalize the application are:
- Application form from the host University;
- A study plan form, containing the courses units to be taken during the mobility and the courses units that may have equivalence at NOVA School of Law;
- Study contract/Learning agreement with a minimum of 20, 30 or 60 ECTS credits, depending on whether the period of mobility is three months, one semester or one academic year, respectively;
- Academic records with the information of the number of ECTS credits and course units already completed at NOVA School of Law;
- European Health Insurance Card/copy of the individual health insurance.

The Erasmus+ programme has a (limited) number of grants available. The number of grants awarded each year to each university body depends on the available European Union budget. Grants are awarded on the basis of the amount allocated to NOVA School of Law and the selection of applicants.. Grants awarded to Erasmus+ and THEMIS students are intended only to contribute to extraordinary expenses arising from mobility and do not cover all the expenses which the student would normally have in their home establishment.

The order in which grants are awarded:
a)Students benefitting from Social Action Services (SAS);
b)Students who wish to participate in the Mobility Programme within the THEMIS network;
c) Other students.

Documents to issue the Erasmus+ grant contract:
- Learning Agreement with the three signatures;
- Copy of identification document (Citizen Card, Passport, Residence Permit);
- Tax identification number;
- IBAN and proof of account ownership (Portuguese account, and proof must be issued by the bank, an ATM receipt is not sufficient for this purpose);
- Proxy (draft available at the Faculty's website);
- Copy of the proxy holder's identification document (Citizen Card, Passport, Residence Permit).

The recognition of credits and grading is carried out by a committee for the appreciation of requests for recognition of courses completed under the mobility programmes composed by three members appointed by the Scientific Council of NOVA School of Law. The curricular units successfully completed by the student at the host university may be recognized (credits and grades) as long as they appear on their Learning Agreement and in the Transcript of Records. Curricular units attended at the host university to which compulsory or restricted subjects at NOVA School of Law correspond can be awarded equivalence provided the curricular unit has the same purpose regardless of the country. Optional choice subjects listed in Table 9 of the first cycle regulations can be freely replaced by subjects offered at the host university. ECTS credits awarded by the host university are granted to the curricular units undertaken at the host university except in the case of equivalence to compulsory subjects and restricted option subjects, which can only be recognized if they fulfil the number of ECTS provided for at NOVA School of Law, with any excess being given as a free option curricular unit. The grades obtained in the Erasmus+ programme are taken into account in the calculation of the average of the course at NOVA School of Law, in accordance with the applicable legal conversion rules. Curricular units undertaken in mobility with a syllabus similar to those the student has completed at NOVA School of Law cannot be recognized.
At the end of the mobility, all participants must provide proof of their mobility as well as its successful completion by means of the Declaration of Stay, Transcript of Records (for study mobility), the final Student Language Proficiency Assessment Test (OLS) and successfully submitting the Final Report to the European Commission's Mobility Tool platform.


Almeida Garrett Programme
The Almeida Garrett Programme is a national mobility programme, in which NOVA School of Law participates. It seeks to promote quality and to strengthen the national dimension of Faculties in our country, aiming to encourage national cooperation between Higher Education Institutions in order to strengthen personal fulfilment, social cohesion and the spirit of citizenship of our students, promoting creativity, competitiveness and consequently employability.
By applying for this type of mobility, students can spend a period of study at a Portuguese host University, with full academic recognition, thus contributing to their personal and professional development, stimulating their interests, acquiring knowledge and living a true exchange of experiences and knowledge.
All students who are regularly enrolled and registered in a higher education institution with a seat on the Council of Deans of Portuguese universities are eligible for the Almeida Garrett Programme.
The period of studies in a different institution can be for one semester, which must begin in the 2nd year for 1st cycle courses. The period of studies in a different institution can be one semester, which must begin in the 2nd year of the 1st cycle courses, provided the student already has at least 60 ECTS. In the event that the student wishes to extend the mobility period for another semester, the case will be analysed on a case-by-case basis and authorisation from the institutions involved must be obtained. In the 2nd cycle, mobility can only occur from the 2nd semester of the 1st year, and with an exclusive duration of one semester. Students may only carry out a single period of mobility, at national universities, within the same course.

Institutions participating in the Almeida Garrett Programme:
- University Institute of Lisbon/ISCTE
- Open University
- University of Açores
- Algarve University
- University of Aveiro
- University of Beira Interior
- Portuguese Catholic University
- University of Coimbra
- University of Évora
- University of Lisbon
- University of Madeira
- University of Minho
- University NOVA of Lisbon
- University of Porto
- University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro


Freemover Programme:
Higher Education students, enrolled in foreign universities, can attend a semester or academic year at Nova School of Law, outside the framework of mobility programs, as independent students (freemovers), being able to choose from a wide range of subjects taught in English, in each of the semesters. Students must prove that they are officially enrolled at a foreign higher education institution, and can apply independently, even if their home university does not have an agreement with Nova School of Law.

Interships

The Institutional Relations and Career Management area is responsible for managing the institutional relations and partnerships of the faculty, monitoring the career goals, promotion, insertion and professional success of its students, as well as strengthening the community of NOVA School of Law through initiatives that bring together current and former students. In this context, it signs partnership agreements with external entities to support its educational project and the employability of its community. Likewise, it develops surveys that make it possible to better adjust its offerings to the interests of each member of the community. It also organizes initiatives for promoting contact between students and employers, such as Career Days, meetings on campus and online. It develops follow-up and counseling actions through periodic meetings with each study cycle and it structures a mentoring network that includes alumni with more experience and other professionals of reference in each sector.

Scholarships

Language courses

Food services

- 2 refectories: Colégio Almada Negreiros and Residence
- 4 bars: Residência, Colégio Almada Negreiros, Edifício da Reitoria and NOVA IMS

Special needs facilities

NOVA School of Law offers parking spaces reserved for students/teachers with special needs, such as access ramps to buildings and elevators. It also has toilets for students / teachers with special needs.

Extracurricular activities

Studying at NOVA School of Law is an enriching experience that goes well beyond the classroom.
We want to train well-rounded students, capable of being the best version of themselves and prepared to face the challenges of the real world.
Therefore, NOVA School of Law has an intense and dynamic community of student groups, which not only contribute to integration in School life, but which also make it more productive and stimulating, by promoting a range of activities that complement the academic pathway of our students, contributing to their personal and professional growth, and enabling them to acquire a set of distinctive skills, which make them more competitive in the job market.

Within these activities we can highlight:
- JURISTUNA is a refuge for the academic tradition and for the sharing of human values, as a commitment to keeping the doors open to those who want to enter and join the voices that sing in harmony, with the mission of giving each person a space of self-expression.
- JUR.NAL Since its foundation, the objective of this autonomous nucleus of NOVA School of Law is known for being a hub for comfortable distraction during the days (and nights) of a law student. From a student of NOVA School of Law. We give students a voice so that they can express themselves in different terms from what otherwise might not be said, enabling deeper realities to be explored - This is our job.
- Nucleus of International Students - The main objective of this nucleus is to promote the interculturality of the NOVA School of Law students and to foster an inclusive academic experience at all levels of the life of a university student.
- ELSA NOVA Lisboa aims to contribute to legal training, encourage mutual understanding and promote social responsibility between law students and young lawyers
- The objective of NOVA Debate is to stimulate competitive, open, healthy and constructive debate, contributing to the intellectual and humanistic development of all parties, as well as an exchange of ideas between students and teachers.
- The NOVA Sports nucleus has as its objective the promotion of sports and physical activities among the NOVA academic community, seeking to facilitate easier integration and a healthier lifestyle for our student
- The Academic Committee is an autonomous nucleus of NOVA School of Law whose objective is to recruit new students and integrate them fully into our Community.
- NOVA Law SU stands out for offering its members renowned training opportunities in Law (with courses and specialized training, study assistants, accompaniment, etc.), as well as extracurricular activities in the areas of sports, culture and civic intervention, offering all students a richer academic life.

Student association

Nova Law SU is the association of all students of NOVA School of Law. Created at the birth of the college itself, Nova Law SU has always energized the student community, whether it be to represent their interests and aspirations with the bodies from the Faculty and NOVA University, wants to provide all students with an enriching and diverse experience as NOVA Students.
Nova Law SU stands out for offering its members renowned training opportunities in the field of Law (with specialized courses and training, study aids, support, etc.) or with extracurricular activities in the areas of sport, culture and intervention civic.
ALUMNI is the Association of Former Students of NOVA Law School of Law, formed in 2004 by students graduated in the first course of the Faculty.
Through ALUMNI the former students of NOVA Law School of Law seek to consolidate and strengthen the ties that bind them to the Faculty, to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences among those who learned Law at NOVA and to promote actions that give prestige to NOVA Law School of Law.

Other information

Research

CEDIS
CEDIS - Centre for Research on Law and Society (CEDIS) is a research and development (R&D) unit accredited and financed by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). It is also financed by European institutions and by other institutions in the area of Law and Society. Its mission is to promote the quality and innovative character of its members¿ research, contributing to the development of Law.
Research activities are organized into research groups and centres, and focus on scientific fields ranging from the relationship between Law and History, Law and Social Sciences, Economics and Governance of the Sea, Human Rights and Business, International Law and European Union, Law and New Technologies, Equality Law, and Law and Security, to topics such as Environment and Sustainability, Mobility, Digital Economy, Space, Biotechnology or Artificial Intelligence.
The research strategy is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the European Union¿s strategic priorities, and aims to contribute to raising the quality of scientific production with an impact on public policies and society.

Knowledge Centres
The Knowledge Centres at NOVA School of Law form an innovative network of researchers who privilege teamwork and partnerships with relevant community agents, to develop scientific research in the various areas of Law and to encourage debate.
This is achieved through multidisciplinary teams with the support of teaching staff who are highly specialised in their research areas and students from the various teaching cycles, promoting team spirit, mutual help and shared growth, which strengthens the individual qualities of each participant, allowing them to explore their interests and to make a contribution to society.

The following knowledge centres stand out:
- Antígona The aim of the Clinic is to develop activities related to the promotion of legal counselling, training and research in the areas of Equality and Discrimination Law.
- The NOVA Knowledge Centre for Business, Human Rights and the Environment is a new, innovative and multidisciplinary Centre that seeks to foster responsible business conduct that ensures respect for human rights and environmental standards in global value chains, thereby also advancing the UN¿s Sustainable Development Goals.
- The mission of NOVA Consumer Lab is to develop activities related to Consumer Law, namely in relation to general contract terms, advertising, prices, unfair commercial practices, sale of consumer goods, essential public services (water, electricity, gas, electronic communications, among others), financial services (including consumer credit and real estate credit), housing, transport, the digital economy and its challenges (big data, internet of things, personal data, cryptolaw, digital content, 3D printers), regulation and resolution of disputes (including mediation and consumer arbitration).
- The NOVA Dispute Resolution Forum is a knowledge Centre dedicated to research and training in the field of dispute resolution. It aims to bring to the debate various topics of Civil Procedural Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution, in an integrated vision of civil dispute resolution. It has two ¿branches¿, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Laboratory and the Academy of Civil Procedure, which, on the one hand, enables us to have several teams dedicated to specific projects in each area, and on the other hand, promotes an integrated vision of both forms of dispute resolution.
- NOVA Green Lab aims to promote legal and multidisciplinary research in the field of environmental, climate, and energy law, with a particular focus on the challenges to the implementation of the European Green Deal in the European Union, Portugal and its global reach. Besides encouraging intensive scholarly debate, the knowledge centre may facilitate access of policymakers, civil society, stakeholders, and citizens of different generations to the knowledge needed to achieve a better and more sustainable future.
-The Observatory for the Protection of Personal Data (PPD) was set up on the basis of the reform initiated by the European Commission on the protection of personal data, with the aim of updating and modernizing the rules laid down not only on the protection of personal data but also on police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
- SPARC - The Space Law Research Centre (SPARC) is the first and until now, only research group in Space Law in Portugal, created in 2018 within CEDIS, the research institute of NOVA School of Law. It aims to investigate and promote awareness of topics related to Space Law.
- The main goal of the NOVA OCEAN Knowledge Center is to stimulate, support, and aggregate the scientific multidisciplinary research in the domain of the ocean and its governance, with a focus on the sustainable development of the ocean in line with SDG 14 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the European Union blue agenda, and the National Ocean Strategy 2021-2030. Sustainability and possibilities of the digital progress in the ocean field are two cross-cutting central domains in the NOVA OCEAN Knowledge Center agenda.
- The CRIMINALIA group develops research on criminal subjects: The ¿Coleção Criminalia ¿ Estudos de Ciências Criminais da NOVA. The project ¿Novos Tempos, Novos Crimes, Novas Leis Penais?¿ is focused on the social, technological and economic innovations that challenge the validity and the area of application of existing criminal laws, both in the material and procedural domains. The ¿Observatório das Contraordenações¿ is dedicated to research on the main problems associated with the evolution and expansion of (non-criminal) Administrative Offences and Sanctions.
- A NOVA Refugee Clinic ¿ Legal Clinic, which aims to develop research in the field of asylum law, in order to monitor and evaluate the existing legal and political responses in this matter, as well as propose and recommend changes and/or the development of mechanisms that guarantee adequate public asylum policies to protect and respect the rights of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection in Portugal.
- NOVA Tax Research Lab¿s aimes to promote research and activities concerned with the latest challenges of taxation from Portuguese, European and International perspectives. In addition to developing research, publications and other technical analysis, NOVA Tax Research Lab also designs training and workshops and organizes conferences and talks.
- The NOVA Knowledge Centre for Data-Driven Law supports the use of data in legal research within the NOVA School of Law. The DDL Centre contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #16, devoted to Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). One of the targets of SDG 16 is the development of effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The DDL Centre is also animated by NOVA School of Law¿s vocation to develop legal science in Portugal, in particular by stimulating data-driven legal research.
- The NOVA Compliance Lab mission the development of knowledge to better diagnose institutional and operational failures that promote corruption and other unwanted conduct, together with the analysis of effective measures for their prevention
- The NOVA IPSI - NOVA Knowledge Centre on Intellectual Property & Sustainable Innovation (IPSI) is dedicated to the study and research on the legal concept, regulation, and evolution of intellectual property in a society seeking sustainability.
- NOVA Argumentation, a Knowledge Centre within the NOVA School Law, is dedicated to advanced research and training in the field of legal argumentation. Established in January 2023, its goals are:


WhatNext.Law
WhatNext.Law is a research centre created in 2021 by NOVA School of Law and Vieira de Almeida, the centre intends to shape the discussion, research, capacity development, and disseminate knowledge on the pressing current and upcoming challenges of law, economy, and society.
The centre focuses on an array of different topics, including, amongst others the legal challenges of emerging technologies, environment and sustainability, mobility, automation, digital economy, space, biotechnology, and smart cities.
The goal is to anticipate legal trends, new and emerging challenges and contribute to shaping the legal solutions that will underpin future societies.


Research Projects
- The Multiversity Project - White Paper on multiple and intersectional discrimination aims to build a science-based recommendation, based on multidisciplinary knowledge, to level and harmonize anti-discrimination protections in Portugal, considering sequential, additive and intersectional multiple discrimination. The focus will be on discrimination based on sex, racial/ethnic origin, sexual orientation and gender identity and disability and taking into account the specific socio-economic consequences of each type of discrimination
- The Research Project «IN_Solvens: Insolvency Law in Portugal - a multidisciplinary analysis» intends to provide an overview of the causes that affect the length of insolvency proceedings and the reduced use of pre-insolvency mechanisms for, in a second moment, present solutions that allow to alleviate or avoid the identified negative effects.
- TRACE ¿ Tracking illicit money flows (TRACE) - As organised crime networks operate across orders, use legal loopholes and advanced technology, it is notoriously difficult to detect and trace hidden and illicit money flows. In TRACE, partners will co¿create innovative data management solutions combined with AI analytics to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in tracing and recovering illicit money flows and generating court¿proof e¿evidence.
- Development Cooperation and the Right to Education in the PALOP Higher Education Systems - This project aims to reflect on Higher Education in Portuguese-Speaking African Countries, and in this first phase, the target countries are Angola, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe. Focusing on the normative framework that regulates this level of education, on national public policies regarding Education, on the International Development Agendas and on the role of Development Cooperation in the implementation of these policies, it aims to contribute to the scientific construction of the Law of Education in Higher Education, so that its implementation in terms of public policies and cooperation priorities may be ensured.
- Capacity Building for Legal and Social Advancement in the Philippines (CALESA) - CALESA seeks to address five interdependent problem areas in Philippine legal education, namely the scarcity of academic research in law schools; the inability of teachers and students to access source materials from their own Civil Law tradition, and the evolution of other Civil Law traditions, due to weak interest and multilingual skills; the limited pool of academic experts to review and modernize its legal codes; the protection of Human Rights and the Rule of Law, and the advancement of the integration in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), despite its critical importance and/or geostrategic. After the completion of CALESA, the main law schools in the Philippines are expected to adopt curricular innovations focused on research, multilingualism, protection of Human Rights and the Rule of Law, regional integration and comparative law in a manner consistent with the Bologna process, in order to facilitate portability with EU universities.


Google Data Governance Chair
The «Google Chair for Data Governance» (Google Data Governance Chair) is a scientific project that brings together four universities in Southern Europe: from Spain, CEU San Pablo University; from Italy, the RomaTre University; from Greece, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; and from Portugal, NOVA School of Law.
The scientific committee of the project is chaired by Professor José Luís Piñar Mañas (San Pablo) and its members are Professors Georgios Yannopoulos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Graça Canto Moniz (NOVA School of Law) and Vincenzo Zeno Zencovich (RomaTre).
The Chair was launched in 2021 at a Conference in Madrid, resulting from Google¿s commitment to involving academia in reflecting on the challenges of Data Governance. Its main objective is, over 4 years, to contribute to this reflection through the production of thematic reports, the creation of an international and multidisciplinary network of researchers and through the organization of scientific events.


Digital Archive António Manuel Hespanha
The Digital Archive António Manuel Hespanha aims to make available the main body of work of Portuguese legal literature of the XIX century and first half of the XX century, through electronic publishing. In the selection of the works, preference was given to those produced in the academic field, although the collection also includes other complementary legal materials of a different nature (codes, repertories, collections of legislation or ¿piecemeal¿ legislation, collections of court decisions, parliamentary debates on legal matters, some works of legal dissemination). Produced under CEDIS (Centre for Research & Development on Law and Society) and research projects also founded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), other institutions have competed for its implementation by making available the originals to be reproduced and digitized.


Permanent Seminar on the state and study of Law (SPEED)
SPEED, as it has become known, is a scientific research and post-graduate teaching development seminar that NOVA School of Law has been developing since 1999, with the aim of bringing together the scientific community around issues relevant to Law and Society, taking a critical and innovative stance.

Themis
Themis, the Magazine of NOVA School of Law of NOVA University, Lisbon, is published under the responsibility of this School, and reflects the institution¿s commitment to ensuring the highest academic level of its activities.

School calendar