Automated Nova IMS Scraper - Comprehensive Tool for Educational Content and PDF Files Extraction

Project Overview

I designed and built an advanced system for automatic scraping of content from the Nova Information Management School (Nova IMS) website - a prestigious Portuguese university specializing in information management. My solution enables comprehensive downloading, categorization, and storage of educational content, documents, and PDF files from the entire website structure.

The system was created for a client needing access to current educational materials and the ability to systematically analyze them. I utilized modern web scraping techniques with emphasis on ethical practices and efficiency.

Advanced System Functionalities

Intelligent University Structure Crawling

• Recursive multi-level website exploration - I created a system that intelligently navigates the complex hierarchy of university pages, from the main page through faculties, study programs, to individual courses
• Dynamic content detection - I implemented mechanisms recognizing content dynamically generated using JavaScript
• Multilingual support - the system effectively processes and categorizes content in English and Portuguese, maintaining appropriate language metadata

Comprehensive PDF Document Extraction

• PDF identification and classification - I developed an algorithm detecting all PDF files along with their context (syllabi, teaching materials, scientific publications)
• Original structure preservation - the system saves files maintaining the original hierarchy and relationships to website content
• Metadata extraction - I automatically extract information such as titles, authors, publication dates, and document categories

Optimal Database Architecture

I designed an efficient SQLite database with the following elements:

• Optimized relational schema - tables with appropriate relationships reflecting the website structure
• Efficient indexing - indexes for key fields enabling quick content searches
• Contextual metadata - storing information about relationships between documents and their place in the university structure
• Duplicate avoidance mechanisms - algorithms detecting and eliminating repeating content while preserving all contexts

Technical Implementation Aspects

Advanced Scraping Techniques

In this project, I used the following techniques and solutions:

• Intelligent link detection - algorithm analyzing DOM structure for efficiently finding relevant links
• Dynamic processing adaptation - the system automatically detects and adapts to different subpage types and content formats
• Ethical scraping practices - I implemented controlled delays between requests to avoid overloading university servers
• Error handling mechanisms - the system handles inaccessible pages, redirects, and other exceptions, ensuring uninterrupted operation

Data Processing and Normalization

• HTML cleaning - I remove unnecessary elements while preserving essential content and structure
• Semantic extraction - intelligent extraction of key information from content
• Text normalization - standardization of formatting, character encoding, and style
• Data validation - checking the correctness and completeness of downloaded information

Practical Applications

The Nova IMS scraper I created finds application in:

• Comparative analysis of study programs - ability to compare syllabi and program content
• Educational research - analyzing trends in teaching materials
• Knowledge systematization - creating a local, searchable repository of educational content
• Change monitoring - tracking content updates over time

Conclusions and Results

My Nova IMS scraper system provides a complete solution to the problem of automatic acquisition and categorization of educational content from a university website. By combining advanced crawling techniques, intelligent document extraction, and optimal data storage, I created a tool with high practical value.

The client received access to a complete, organized knowledge base containing:

• Searchable database of several hundred pages and subpages of the Nova IMS website
• Collection of over 500 PDF files with full metadata and context
• Optimized SQLite database with an intuitive schema
• System enabling cyclical updates and change monitoring

The use of Python, BeautifulSoup4, and SQLite3 technologies allowed me to create an efficient, flexible, and easy-to-maintain solution that meets all client requirements.