Building an innovative Medical School in Portugal: the experience of the University of Minho

Th e fi rst step in constructing an educational building is the defi nition of its mission. Although it seems obvious, it is rather challenging to have a well-defi ned and visible mission for all the protagonists. Th e SM-UMinho clearly established as its mission ‘to improve the quality of healthcare through education and research’. To achieve this mission, the SM-UMinho defi ned a strong strategy based on three main vectors: – Integration at the thematic faculty levels. – Learning focused on evidence and on the clinical relevance that anticipates the needs of future medical practice. – Engagement of every individual in the construction of his/her academic curriculum.