Portuguese higher education: a
view from the outside
Presentation of report, 4
Jean-Marc Rapp
February 19 2013
Lisbon
Conselho Coordenador do Ensino Superior
(CCES): legal background
Decreto Lei 214/2006 provided for the setting up
of CCES
OECD suggested composition and remit, 2007
RJIES arts.170/171 contain government’s stated
intention to proceed with CCES
Decreto Regulamentar 15/2009 specified CCES’s
mandate, composition, modus operandi
CNE Recommendation 4/2012 called for
implementation
The team agrees with CNE (R36)
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CCES: the benefits of a ‘buffer body’
A council set in an intermediary role between
ministry and public institutions will:
 institute a measure of sectoral autonomy to match
and reinforce institutional autonomy
 use sectoral self-regulatory capacity to increase
institutional accountability
 bring transparency sufficient to reassure all
stakeholders
 provide continuity by working in multi-annual
cycles
 overcome the disadvantages of ministerial micromanagement
…3…
CCES: suggested composition
Membership of 17 is already enshrined in law
In line with practice in EU and in Bologna FollowUp Group, which involves both social partners,
relevant trade unions should be co-opted as full
members
University and polytechnic students are
represented, but the fragmented student bodies
should strive for more credible national identities
CCES members should not be bound by
constituency instructions, but should act in a
personal capacity
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The remit of the CCES
The CCES is currently defined as consultative in
two respects
 it must be consulted when the law so requires
 it may be consulted at the minister’s discretion
It must also have a strategic function, with
policy-making responsibility and the ability to
build appropriately strong evidence bases
In order to fully discharge its functions, it must
also have a regulatory character, with relevant
powers devolved from government
…5…
The tasks of the CCES (1)
To formulate a national strategic plan for
education (R39)
 on the basis of internal consensus
 in liaison with regional development agencies,
employers organisations, and bodies responsible
for labour market analysis and planning
 with long-term efficacy and regular review
 in line with policies and targets agreed at EU and at
EHEA levels
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The tasks of the CCES (2)
To produce proposals on the composition and
remit of public-sector university and polytechnic
funding councils (R15, 40), charged with
 receiving public funds from government
 devising a mixed allocation methodology (block
grant, competitive, collaborative, co-funding)
 allocating to institutions on a multi-annual basis
To receive and approve 4-year strategic plans
submitted by institutions (R16)
To approve (R14), within the agreed strategic
framework, mergers, closures and consolidations
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The tasks of the CCES (3)
Other tasks recommended by the team
 to receive reports from regional HE facilitation
bodies (R7)
 to review the volume and mechanics of student
finance (19)
 to develop a lifelong learning strategy (R22-23)
 to review the scope for expanding distance learning
(R25)
 to review the implementation of learning outcomes
in curriculum design, assessment, and quality
assurance (R26)
…8…
The tasks of the CCES (4)
In the interests of transparency and the
development of evidence-based policy, to set
parameters and methodologies for data collection
and analysis (R41)
To disseminate information to institutions,
students, agencies and the wider public
To set a high priority on accuracy and reliability
To manage its communications in such a manner
as to sustain parity of esteem within the binary
system
…9…
Thank you for your attention
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