Portugal's Government Set to Overhaul Higher Education Regulations Tomorrow

Summary:

Council of Ministers to approve key reforms for higher education tomorrow.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro emphasizes enhanced institutional autonomy.
Reform aims for integration between university and polytechnic systems.
Direct elections for rectors to involve the alumni community.
Focus on valuing Polytechnic Education and revising definitions.

Major Reform in Higher Education Regulations

The Council of Ministers is set to approve key elements of a reform of the legal framework for higher education institutions tomorrow. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro during the biweekly debate in the Assembly of the Republic.

Montenegro stated, "Tomorrow we will approve the main axes of a reform of the legal regime for higher education institutions, which will also be discussed and reviewed in the Assembly of the Republic."

The Prime Minister explained that this reform, established in 2007, aims to "provide institutions with better conditions for autonomy and to fulfill their educational purposes while ensuring greater predictability for projects that are not subject to the whims of current governments."

The government's proposal includes:

Closer integration between university and polytechnic subsystems, as well as public and private sectors, allowing for the evolution and flexibility of the binary system and rationalization of higher education networks.
The election of rectors or presidents through direct vote, expanded to include alumni, for a single six-year term, with a focus on enhancing the independence of the General Council and the importance of external members.
An objective to enhance Polytechnic Education, including a revision of definitions and requirements for the use of the designation Polytechnic University, which can be adopted by polytechnic institutions granting doctoral degrees.