The mission of IST is to contribute to the development of society by providing high quality Education in the areas of Engineering, Science and Technology, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as lifelong learning, and by carrying out Research, Development and Innovation activities in accordance with the highest international standards.

Instituto Superior Técnico was established with the objective of providing the country with Engineers with know-how and the necessary skills to succeed in their professional lives, while simultaneously contributing to the economic development of the country. Today, IST offers 21 undergraduate programmes, attended by over 8900 students, covering a wide range of areas of knowledge, which, include not only the traditional engineering specialisations but also other more modern areas such as Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Physics Engineering. Postgraduate training is also important, with more than 1500 students distributed among 26 doctoral areas and various third degree programmes. This is made possible by a highly-qualified teaching staff, over 760 doctorates, and a highly efficient organisation of services.