The university sports is one of the strong identity brands of the University of Minho.
Regular participation in sports activities is essential to the all-round training of higher education students, it promotes socialisation, problem solving skills, team spirit, diversity, equity, excellence, among others.
At the UMinho, the mission of the Sports and Cultural Department (DDC) of the Social Services is to promote sports and cultural practices in the areas of recreation and sporting competition, with the academic community (students and staffs), providing conditions for democratic access such as the participation in a learning environment open to the community, health and excellence. At the sports facilities of the UMinho, the SASUM have an offer of about 70 activities in various sports halls in Braga and Guimarães. Furthermore, there are approximately 150 events and sport organisations of competitive, recreational and cultural nature.
The University of Minho is an institution of sports champions who are yearly awarded medals in different sports. UMinho was considered the second best European university in sports in 2015 ranking awarded by the European University Sports Association (EUSA). UMinho was also the institution with the largest number of athletes at the European Universities Championships 2015. In 2013, UMinho had already been awarded with the first place in this ranking, after reaching three consecutive podiums in previous years.
This leadership rewards the collective work of the university and the AAUM (Students' Union) in this area.
