Portuguese Higher Education: a view from outside
(perceptions, observations and challenges)
1
Learning, teaching and
lifelong learning
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes
U.Porto/BFUG representative
Conselho Nacional de Educação (CNE), Lisboa
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
2
1. Teaching and learning
 Convergence of challenges to Higher Education
Institutions:
Significant and rapid changes in the contemporary world
 New needs (of society, of youth, of the economy, of
multiculturality) + European strategy 2020
 New student profiles – young and adult
 Growth and relevance of interdisciplinarity
 Challenges of a more volatile labour market
 Increasing mobility (students, graduates, workers)

Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
3
1. Teaching and learning (cont.)
However:
Difficulties in the recognition of previous training at the
same level and strong dependency on the concept of
“equivalence” of contents
 Insufficient understanding of the relevance of qualification
frameworks for Higher Education
 Reduced flexibility of study plans (especially in integrated
master programs)
 Insufficient awareness of the relevance of curricular designs
and of student trajectories as a function of learning
outcomes

Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
4
1. Teaching and learning (cont.)
More active involvement of students in the learning process
> towards effective student centred learning
 Better understanding of its meaning
 Allowing the development of students’ diverse skills >
Differentating students according to their skills – through
more flexible trajectories
 Fostering complementary activities allowing those skills and
their differentiation – relevant to their professional
performance - to be potentiated


But: All this requires physical, material and human conditions…
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
5
2. Teaching
 Greater
interrelation of research and teaching > More
effective learning by students, development of critical
mind and scientific method
 Different (but no less important) role of teacher >
towards effective student centred learning
 Relevance of evaluation > due to its central role in
students’ work
 Definition and evaluation of learning outcomes (and not
only of objectives, often based only on the teacher’s
perspective)
 More use of new educational technologies
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
6
3. Lifelong Learning
 3 different perspectives:
 Ongoing
updating of knowledge by graduates >
access to other qualification levels
 Access to Higher Education for adults without a
secondary degree (ex. M23)
 Multidisciplinary training (intercycle mobility)
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
7
Necessary conditions:
 Regular following of graduates’ professional
trajectories
 Strong connection to social, economic and cultural
sectors for the definition of the supply necessary to the
updating of knowledge and skills
 Diversification of the tools for e-learning and distance
teaching and learning
 Awareness of the importance of quality in higher
education and of the mecanisms for quality
improvement
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
8



Greater recognition of the “teaching” component in
academic careers
Possible differentiation of careers according to
main option for research or for teaching
Team recommendation: evaluation of success of
M23, in different areas
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
9

Team’s recommendations: some final remarks
Importance of LO: needs a national and institutional
discussion about their meanings and their role in the
curriculum design and in recognition of prior learning
 LLL strategy: asks for a deeper discussion about the linkage
between learning, teaching and research, as well as the
role and career of academics
 Course portfolio: Das the R35 mean a national decision of
the titles of first and second cycle portfolio according to the
CNAEF, limiting the autonomy of IES?
 Will CEES work closely with IES, to involve them in the
pretended reforms?

Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013
Learning, teaching and lifelong learning
10
Thank you!
mcorreia@reit.up.pt
Maria de Lurdes Correia Fernandes, Learning, Teaching and Lifelong Learning - CNE, 19.02.2013