This work, entitled The Portuguese model of University Extension, is part of the activities of the Cultural Project Atalaya. The aim is to get to know the policy, which developed by the University Extension of the neighbouring country.

  We say that two major problems have been marked from the beginning, the creation of this work. On the one hand, the large number of institutions that we took in exam, as we have taken as reference the fourteen public universities active. On the other hand, the absence in Portugal of a Vicerrectorado de Extensión of the University, as we know it in Spain. This contingency has led us to have to dive into a huge number of web pages to gather the data necessary for the development of our study.

Based on these assumptions, at first, the intention of the author was making an approach to the subject in order to draw the most appropriate methodology. Thus, we initiated a survey of information through three distinct, but interrelated aspects. On the one hand, finding the critical bibliography on the field of the University Extension, in general, and of Portugal in particular. On the other hand, making contact with various universities and educational institutions of higher education in Portugal, in order to gather first hand information, provided by managers themselves. Finally, locate all those websites that were likely to contain information that we might be interested.