The University of Aveiro is a public Foundation since 2009 under private law. It is currently attended by approximately 17000 graduate and post-graduate students, 9% of which are international students. The academic community further comprises around 1400 teaching staff and researchers, and 630 technical, administrative and managerial staff.

The organisation of the University of Aveiro (UA) is based on a matrix structure, which integrates the university and polytechnic education sub-systems, and as such involves permanent interaction between its various units, services and other structures. It fosters interdisciplinarity and flexibility through the organisation and management of its activities and objectives, as well as openness to society and close links to the local business environment.The UA is therefore made up of organisational units within the university sub-system (16 departments) and the polytechnic sub-system (four schools), which include the teachers responsible for teaching their courses. An integral part of the university's structure are a set of units dedicated to various research activities, and within the framework of the third university mission (cooperation with society), there are interface structures that establish links with the both the local region and society as a whole.The University is also equipped with common governing and global management entities responsible for scientific and pedagogical functions, as well as unit-level organisations and other hierarchical structures. Equally, a fundamental part and parcel of the organisation are a series of services run by the university's administrative services which embrace the overall activity of the institution.

Quality is a key element that the University of Aveiro (UA) seeks to achieve transversely, across all areas of its mission. It is therefore all about people and how people interact with each other and with processes.The UA is committed to consolidating and strengthening a high-quality internal culture, fostering the development of professional attitudes and skills, and stimulating creativity and innovation within the institution.