The Associação Académica de Coimbra (AAC) is the students' union of the University of Coimbra (UC).[1] Founded in Coimbra on November 3, 1887, it is the oldest students' union in Portugal. It is also the biggest Portuguese students' union belonging to an independent institution, since it represents all the students of its university, who gain automatic membership into the AAC as students of the University of Coimbra (25,580 students as of 2021[2]).
In addition to several departments dedicated to culture and student life, ranging from theatre and musical groups to radio and cinematography,[3] the AAC has several sports' departments (called sections) based in Coimbra. All teams and athletes of the AAC sports departments bear the same name and logo with black uniforms. This is one of the largest multi-sports clubs of Portugal. The Associação Académica de Coimbra - O.A.F., an autonomous football organization inside the AAC, houses one of its better known teams across Portugal due to a historical presence on the main Portuguese Football Championships and the popularity of football in the country. Despite that, the Associação Académica de Coimbra - S.F. (sports section) is also in operation as a student-only football team of AAC which has been playing in the lower, regional football leagues.[4][5][6] In rugby (Portuguese Rugby Union Championship), volleyball (Portuguese Volleyball Championship) and basketball (Portuguese Basketball League (LCB)) top flight competitions, through the Associação Académica de Coimbra (rugby union), the Associação Académica de Coimbra (volleyball) and the Associação Académica de Coimbra (basketball) departments, the AAC has also been represented at the highest level in the Portuguese major competitions across its history, as well as in several olympic sports ranging from athletics to martial arts disciplines. The chess team has been Portuguese champion on several occasions.