Coordinating institution: University of Maia
Course Coordinators:- Prof. Ana Guerreiro
- Prof. Olga Cruz
Physical mobility: 20-24 July 2026
ECTS: 3
Aims of the programme
This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) aims to provide students with a comprehensive set of knowledge, skills, and competencies essential for a critical understanding of organized crime in the context of drug trafficking, both in Portugal and at the international level. Through a critical approach, the programme will explore key concepts and characteristics of drug trafficking and organized crime, distinguishing them from other forms of criminality and examining various theoretical perspectives. Additionally, contemporary challenges in combating organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, will be analyzed, including transnational dynamics and institutional responses. This BIP will ensure the developing of the critical capacity of students applied to the analysis of concrete cases. Furthermore, students will enhance their skills in interpreting data and reports on the evolution of organized crime and drug trafficking in Portugal, as well as in relating legal and institutional aspects to the practical reality of law enforcement.
Syllabus
- Organized Crime: main concepts and characteristics.
- Theoretical perspectives on organized crime.
- Challenges in Organized Crime
- Drug (ab)use in Portugal: main dynamics and current trends
- Drug legislation in Portugal: a brief history of its evolution
- Current Portuguese legal framework on drugs: the supply and the demand
- Drug trafficking in Portugal: main dynamics and current trends
Methodology and assessment
The BIP adopts an active and participatory pedagogical approach, combining teaching methods that foster critical thinking and independent work, integrating a one-week in-person component with remote activities throughout the remaining period.
During the in-person component, in addition to lectures and critical-reflective debates, particular emphasis will be placed on the analysis of case studies and public policies to develop critical analytical and interpretative skills regarding the studied phenomena.
In the online component, students will work remotely from their institutions, maintaining interaction with faculty members through digital platforms whenever necessary, ensuring guidance and support for the scientific research they must present at the end of the BIP. The assessment includes: individual participation in the in-person component (20%), teamwork in in-person tasks (30%), research work (30%), and the final presentation and discussion of the research (20%).
Programme workload
- Total Workload: 75 hours
- Contact Hours: 28h (in-person: 20h; online: 8h)
- Autonomous Work: 47h