1. The Emigration Observatory (OEm) is an independent technical and research structure integrated in the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES) of Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, where its headquarters are located.

2. The Observatory operates on a partnership basis between the following university institutions of research:

• the Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES) of Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, which ensures the coordination of the partnership;
• the Centre for Geographical Studies (CEG) of the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning of the University of Lisbon (IGOT-UL);
• the Centre for Research in Economic and Organizational Sociology (SOCIUS/CSG), of the Institute of Economics and Management of the University of Lisbon (ISEG-UL);
• the Institute of Sociology (IS-UP), of the Faculty of Arts of University of Porto. 

3. The Observatory was created on the basis of a protocol signed in 2008 between Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, and the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities (DGACCP), supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under a cooperation agreement achieved in 2016.

4. The Observatory initiated its activity on January 2009, with three main goals:

• collect, harmonize and analyse information on the evolution and characteristics of Portuguese emigration and Portuguese emigrated population, in particular by collecting data from the statistical institutions of the emigration destination countries;
• Disseminate all the compiled information, promote its availability and discussion with the general public, in particular with researchers, students, policy makers and journalists; 
• contribute, through its activity, for the definition and evaluation of public emigration policies based on information and knowledge about this domain of intervention. 

5. The Observatory has as its main daily public interaction instrument its web page. The website is regularly updated and progressively broadened to cover all the activities that result from the achievement of the objectives for which it was created.