Portuguese Coordinating Council of Polytechnic
CCISP Documents
2010
Index
Index ....................................................................................................................................................... b
1
Brief Description of the Portuguese Higher Education System ...................................................... 2
1.1
The Public University Subsystem and Its Institutions .............................................................. 2
1.2
The Public Polytechnic Subsystem and Its Institutions .......................................................... 3
1.3
Technological Specialisation Courses (CET) .......................................................................... 5
2
Access to Higher Education ........................................................................................................... 9
3
Statistics ........................................................................................................................................10
3.1
Number of Students ...............................................................................................................10
3.2
First Time Admissions in the First Year..................................................................................11
3.3
Public Higher Education Graduates .......................................................................................12
4
Contract Between The Ministry and the Polytechnic Sector ..........................................................13
5
Sector Collaboration ......................................................................................................................13
6
International Perspectives .............................................................................................................14
7
Annexes .......................................................................................................................................... ii
I
Distribution of Polytechnic Institutions in Portugal ........................................................................... ii
II
Higher Education Access ............................................................................................................... iii
b
III
Evolution of the numbers of students enrolled in the public higher education system .................... iv
IV
Evolution of the number of students in Higher Education in Portugal (public and private) .............. v
V
Contract Between The Ministry and the Polytechnic Sector – CCISP Objectives .......................... vi
c
1 Brief Description of the Portuguese Higher Education System
The Portuguese higher education system comprises public and private education 1 and is organized
according to a binary system which divides into the university and polytechnic subsystems. Study
cycles in the university subsystem focus mainly on scientific knowledge, whilst polytechnic education
stresses vocational skills and advanced technical training, making it, therefore, more professionally
oriented. Despite this binary division of the Portuguese higher education system, it should be noted,
however, that the Portuguese legal framework allows for the integration of polytechnic education
schools in universities, albeit exceptionally.
1.1 The Public University Subsystem and Its Institutions
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
1
Universidade Aberta
Universidade da Beira Interior
Universidade da Madeira
Universidade de Aveiro
Universidade de Coimbra
The public network of university institutions is made up of 15
universities that cover mostly coastal mainland Portugal and the
Madeira and Azores archipelagos. Unlike polytechnic institutes,
Universidade de Évora
universities
Universidade de Lisboa
licenciatura and mestrado degrees. Furthermore, universities play a
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e
Alto Douro
Universidade do Algarve
Universidade do Minho
Universidade do Porto
Universidade dos Açores
Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Universidade Técnica de Lisboa
Instituto Superior de Ciências do
Trabalho e da Empresa
can
award
doutoramento
degrees,
alongside
crucial role in the field of research. The nature of the training
provided also sets the difference between university and polytechnic
higher education. The university system favors more of a conceptual
approach, less oriented towards professional activities, as opposed
to the technical approach in polytechnic institutes.
Table 1 – Universities
For the purpose of this document, the public higher education system is addressed in greater detail.
~2~
As previously mentioned, Portuguese universities can award licenciado, mestre and doutor degrees.
The licenciatura has between 180 and 240 credits. Finally, in the university subsystem, through the
mestrado, the student should obtain an academic specialization based on research and innovation
activities or the development of professional skills.
Picture 1 – Geographical Distribution of University System in Portugal (Source: DGES)
1.2 The Public Polytechnic Subsystem and Its Institutions
Public higher education polytechnic institutions, as
above-mentioned, provide training oriented towards
professional life. Thus, the legislator saw fit that these
institutions concentrate their efforts in the creation,
transmission and dissemination of culture and
professional expertise, as well as in the development
of applied research. Therefore, educational offer in the
polytechnic higher education subsystem encompasses
~3~
Picture 2 – Geographical Distribution of the
Polytechnic System in Portugal (Source: DGES)
namely the following areas: technologies, tourism, health, education, agriculture, sports and arts.
The network of polytechnic higher education institutions comprehends 15 polytechnic institutes 2, 5 nonintegrated schools and 7 universities, which, as explained before, can sometimes integrate polytechnic
education schools.
Institutions
The geographic distribution of
No. of licenciatura
degrees offered
No. of
Schools
Beja
25
4
Bragança
46
5
Castelo Branco
35
6
Cávado e Ave
15
2
Coimbra
45
6
Guarda
24
4
Leiria
57
5
Lisboa
41
8
densely
Portalegre
27
4
Porto
74
7
populated areas. Since they are
Santarém
29
5
Setúbal
33
5
spread across all regions of the
Tomar
24
3
Viana do Castelo
26
5
country, polytechnic institutions
Viseu
37
6
play an important role in the
Esc. Sup. de Enfermagem de Coimbra
1
1
Esc. Sup. de Enfermagem de Lisboa
1
1
Esc. Sup. de Enfermagem do Porto
1
1
10
1
Escola Náutica Infante D. Henrique
5
1
Univ. Évora
2
1
Univ. Minho
1
1
Univ. Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
1
1
Univ. Madeira
1
1
Univ. Aveiro
21
3
Univ. Açores
2
2
Univ. Algarve
31
4
614
94
polytechnic institutions is more
homogenous than that of university
institutions, which, with only a few
exceptions, are situated near the
coastline
in
more
development of the regions where
they are established. In fact, they
attempt to respond to the specific
challenges of each region by
training
technical
personnel,
generating wealth and acting as a
source of innovation. On the other
Esc. Sup. Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril
Total
hand, they are also an effective tool against
Table 2 – Polytechnic Institutions in Portugal – 2008 (Source:
migration from inland to coastal Portugal,
Anuário Financeiro das Instituições Públicas de Ensino
given that they capture students which
Superior Politécnico - 2008)
would otherwise move to larger cities where they would, eventually, come to reside.
2
A polytechnic institute integrates two or more schools of different domains.
~4~
With regard to academic degrees, polytechnic institutions can award the licenciado and mestre degrees
and are not allowed to award the doutor degree. Study cycles which lead to the licenciado degree
normally have 180 ECTS3. Study cycles which lead to a mestre degree usually have between 90 and
120 ECTS4. Finally, polytechnic mestrados should certify that the specialization obtained is of a
professional nature. Moreover, polytechnic institutions provide other types of training, such as postgraduate studies and technological specialisation courses (CET), which are, for the most part, held in
polytechnic institutions, given their technical, practical and vocational nature.
1.3 Technological Specialisation Courses (CET)
The CET is a post-secondary non higher education course which grants a ISCED 4 professional
qualification. This type of professional qualification is obtained through a combination of general or
professional secondary studies and technical post-secondary studies5. The completion of a CET
guarantees a DET diploma (technological specialization diploma).
3
In some cases, they may have 240 ECTS in order to abide by legal regulations of access to a professional activity.
4
They can have 60 ECTS and a normal duration of two curricular semesters, as a result of a stable and internationally
consolidated practice in that specialty (Article 18 no. 2 of DL no. 74/2006, 24th of March).
5
In www.dges.mctes.pt (Direcção Geral do Ensino Superior - DGES website)
~5~
Table 3 – Number of CET courses offered in the public polytechnic network (Source: Anuário Financeiro das
Instituições Públicas de Ensino Superior Politécnico - 2008) 6
2005
2006
2007
2008
2007/2008
Polytechnic Institutes
BEJA
22
39
220
234
BRAGANÇA
23
43
320
320
CASTELO BRANCO
0
63
89
107
CÁVADO E AVE
0
0
70
36
23
16
172
224
COIMBRA
GUARDA
0
48
90
116
246
580
1.131
1.406
LISBOA
0
0
0
0
PORTALEGRE
0
0
54
82
21
0
58
59
SANTARÉM
0
0
0
114
SETÚBAL
0
0
44
131
TOMAR
0
0
434
427
VIANA DO CASTELO
0
44
56
193
76
81
42
116
411
914
2.780
3.565
ESC. SUP. ENFERMAGEM COIMBRA
0
0
0
0
ESC. NAUTICA INFANTE D. HENRIQUE
0
0
0
18
LEIRIA
PORTO
VISEU
TOTAL
28,2%
Non-integrated Schools in Polytechnic Institutes
1.3.1 Maiores de 23 anos
Maiores de 23 anos (applicants over 23 years of age) are covered by a special system of access to
higher education. It is meant for all those who have not been able to finish their secondary education
and, in the course of their professional experience, have acquired new skills and wish to further their
qualifications. Applicants undergo an admission exam that assesses their capacity to attend higher
The Escolas Superiores de Saúde de Lisboa and Porto and the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril are not
included in this table.
6
~6~
education. If they pass, they then enroll in the institution where the exam was held 7. The exam is
prepared by each institution.
Chart 1 – Number of students aproved by exam for the Maiores de 23 public higher education system (Source:
GPEARI/MCTES)
12 000
10 498
10 000
9 005
7 368
8 000
6 164
No. of Students
6 025
6 000
4 437
4 000
3 130
2 980
1 727
2 000
0
Universidades
2006-2007
1 727
2007-2008
3 130
2008-2009
2 980
Politécnicos
4 437
7 368
6 025
Total
6 164
10 498
9 005
Anos
1.3.2 Distribution of Students According to Training
The number of students in public polytechnic institutions, according to training, can be found in the
table below. However, the table does not include data from the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo
7
Their entry is subject to the number of vacancies available in the institution. For more information on higher education
access, see item no. 2.
~7~
do Estoril, the Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa or the universities which offer polytechnic
courses.
Table 4 – Students for type of training (Source: Anuário Financeiro das Instituições Públicas de Ensino Superior
Politécnico - 2008)
Percentages
per
institution
Licenciatura
degree
Mestrado
degree
BEJA
2.752
72
234
0
3.058
3,2%
BRAGANÇA
5.760
501
320
52
6.633
6,8%
CASTELO BRANCO
4.403
145
107
98
4.753
4,9%
CÁVADO E AVE
2.194
73
36
0
2.303
2,4%
COIMBRA
9.749
388
224
236
10.597
10,9%
GUARDA
3.052
104
116
96
3.368
3,5%
LEIRIA
8.783
595
1.406
93
10.877
11,2%
LISBOA
11.394
2.157
0
0
13.115
13,6%
2.593
84
82
121
2.880
3,0%
CET
Other
Total
Polytechnics Institutes
PORTALEGRE
PORTO
13.477
1.221
59
83
14.840
15,3%
SANTARÉM
4.084
174
114
189
4.561
4,7%
SETÚBAL
5.732
416
131
115
6.394
6,6%
TOMAR
3.046
152
427
103
3.612
3,8%
VIANA DO CASTELO
2.997
86
193
17
3.293
3,4%
VISEU
5.964
187
116
137
6.404
6,6%
TOTAL
85.638
6.355
3.565
1.340
96.374
100,0%
Total (percentage)
88,4%
6,6%
3,7%
1,4%
100,0%
Non-integrated Schools in Polytechnic Institutes
ESC. SUP. DE ENFERMAGEM DE COIMBRA
ESCOLA NAUTICA INFANTE D. HENRIQUE
ESC. SUP. DE ENFERMAGEM DO PORTO
1.375
0
0
380
1.755
412
73
18
0
503
1.112
0
0
219
1.331
~8~
2 Access to Higher Education8
Access to public higher education in Portugal usually happens through a National Application limited by
numerus clausus. The application is carried out in two stages. The first is meant for students who are
eligible to apply after the publication of the results of the first stage of national exams, while the second
is meant for students who only become eligible after the publication of the results of the second stage
of national exams9. In order to apply for the national application, candidates must successfully conclude
a secondary course or an equivalent and undergo entrance tests to the intended course in the
institution where they want to enroll10. Moreover, the candidates’ application mark should be as high or
higher than the minimum mark set by the higher education institution11. After the application procedure,
candidate ordering is then established for each institution/course pair in descending order, according to
application marks.
The National Application holds a number of vacancies available for candidates with special personal
conditions. These are known as special contingents. The following candidates can apply:




residents of the Azores and Madeira;
Portuguese emigrants;
disabled students;
military personnel under contract;
In order to apply, these candidates must satisfy the requirements, conditions and demands of the
general contingent. The same rules extend to them, namely the need to undergo entrance tests.
8
Annex II contains the Portuguese higher education access structure
9
Applicants that could have applied in the first stage but did not do so can also apply to the second stage.
The marks in these entrance tests should be as high or higher than those required by the institution where the applicant
wants to enroll.
10
The candidate may have to satisfy certain prerequisites, such as physical, functional or vocational conditions, in order to
apply for certain courses.
11
~9~
It is also possible to access higher education outside the National Application through special
applications, which are meant for students with specific qualifications. Places available are determined
annually by each high education institution. The following candidates may apply through special
application:



maiores de 23 – candidates that are over 23 and will only be admitted after completing and
passing an exam that assesses the candidates’ capacity. The exam must take place in the
institution the candidate intends to apply to;
people with a high education degree;
people with a DET (technological specialization diploma).
Finally, there is yet another exception to the National Application, the special access regime to higher
education. It is meant for:







candidates from the Portuguese diplomatic mission or their relatives;
Portuguese scholarship students studying abroad or government officials on official mission
abroad;
Portuguese Armed Forces officers;
PALOP scholarship students;
accredited diplomatic mission in Portugal;
professional athletes;
East Timorese people.
3 Statistics
3.1 Number of Students
Over the last 20 years, the increase in the number of students in public higher education has been
significant. If in 1995/1996 the public university and polytechnic system had about 198,800 students, in
2008/2009, there were over 282,000 students12. However, this increase contrasts with the decrease in
12
For a more detailed analysis on public higher education, see annex III.
~ 10 ~
the number of students in private education institutions – 114,600 in 1995/1996 against 90,500 in
2008/200913.
3.2 First Time Admissions in the First Year
In 2008/09, about 115,000 students enrolled for the first time in the first year of a study cycle in (public
and private) higher education. Among these, almost 87,988 enrolled in public higher education (76% of
total new enrollments) and 27,384 in private higher education (24%).
Through a careful analysis of the numbers pertaining to public higher education in the chart below, one
can conclude that the increase in the number of enrollments in Portuguese public higher education has
been a constant. In 2008/09, polytechnic education reached a quota of 38% in new enrollments.
100.000
80.000
60.000
40.000
20.000
0
Politécnicos
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
0-01 1-02 2-03 3-04 4-05 5-06 6-07 7-08 8-09
26.70 26.68 26.66 23.56 22.48 21.13 25.37 31.46 33745
Universidades 39.22 39.22 41.97 41.23 40.88 42.55 44.78 52.81 54243
Total
65.92 65.92 67.64 64.80 63.36 63.69 70.15 84.27 87988
Chart 2 - Evolution of the number of students enrolled for the first time in the first year of a public institution of
high education in the public subsystem of higher education (Source: GPEARI/MCTES) 14
13
Evolution of the number of students in Higher Education in Portugal (public and private) Annex IV
Includes all courses in higher education institutions (lasting two or more semesters and having 60 ECTS or lasting 300
hours and subject to assessment).
14
~ 11 ~
3.3 Public Higher Education Graduates
The number of graduates has also increased in the Portuguese public higher education system. In
1995/1996, 8789 students graduated from polytechnics, but, in 2007/2008, the number rose to 27,103,
a more than 300% increase. University higher education also witnessed an increase in its number of
graduates of about 235%. Another important conclusion that can be drawn from this chart is the
increase in the graduates quota from the polytechnic subsystem in public higher education, which went
from 36% in 1995/96 to 42% in 2007/2008.
Chart 3 - Public higher education graduates
~ 12 ~
4 Contract Between The Ministry and the Polytechnic Sector
At the beginning of 2010 the Ministry for Science, Technology and Higher Education signed a contract
with the Portuguese Council of Polytechnic Institutes regarding the sector’s development program for
the four year period between 2010 and 2013. The Program’s main features are:

Increasing the number of placements in CET programs (i.e., more than 10 000);

Doubling the amount of placements in courses offered after working hours (i.e., night school);

Creating the e-polytechnic with more than 1000 placements (i.e., distance learning for adults
over 23 years of age and life long learning);

Doubling the amount of placements at the post graduate and masters level;

Increasing the number of placements for adults over 23 years of age;

Support the requalification of graduate students through post graduate and masters programs;

Increasing the level of academic staff with a PhD degree so that they comprise 50% of
academic staff in the polytechnic sector;

Promote academic success;

Create Entrepreneurial Promotion Offices;

Create Canters of Applied Research that will operate as a network with the objective to
promote the link between the academic community and the business world and help regional
development through applied research and experimental development projects that must
involve researchers from higher education as well as businesses, and industry.

Internationalisation.
5 Sector Collaboration
For many years there has been a lot of talk about mergers and reorganization of the higher education
network in Portugal. However, there are no immediate public plans to this effect. Sector collaboration is
referred to in the Higher Education Legal Regime and points toward the idea of consortiums. The
~ 13 ~
government has stressed the importance of consortiums. There is an interest in regional consortiums in
the polytechnic sector and some institutions have already formed consortiums to offer specific
programs.
6 International Perspectives
The contract between the Ministry and the sector makes reference to internationalisation. The
polytechnic sector in Portugal would like internationalisation to develop along two lines. Firstly, the
sector would like to create a program that affirms the transversality of Portuguese polytechnic
education at the European level and link it to the European Network of Universities of Applied Sciences
(UASNET). The objectives of this program are the inclusion and transfer of professional competences
and the integration of applied sciences in the educational mission at the professional and technological
level. The sector would like to start the program in 2011. Secondly, the sector would like to promote
polytechnic education in order to further the development of a Portuguese language speaking countries
space of Higher Education. The sector would like to strengthen the relations with higher education
institutions that are located in Portuguese language countries and promote exchange initiatives and
mobility programs involving student and academic staff (like ERASMUS). It would also like to bet on
distance learning that involves publics and institutions in these countries.
~ 14 ~
7
Annexes
I Distribution of Polytechnic Institutions in Portugal
Source: DGES
~ ii ~
II Higher Education Access
Higher Education Access
Public Higher Education
Private Higher
Education
Special Application
Special Regime
National Application
Institutional
General
Contingent
Access to Medical
courses by people with a
licenciado degree
Special
Contingents
Students from the
Azores/ Madeira
People with
disabilities
Military personnel
under contract with the
Armed Forces
Portuguese Emigrants
~ iii ~
Access
People over 23 years old
(Maiores de 23 anos)
People with a graduated higher
education course or with a
technological specialization courses
certificate (DET)
Source: DGES
III Evolution of the numbers of students enrolled in the public higher education system
Source: GPEARI/MCTES
~ iv ~
IV Evolution of the number of students in Higher Education in Portugal (public and private)
INSCRITOS POR SUBSISTEMAS DE ENSINO (ENTIDADE INSTITUIDORA) - 1995-96 A 2008-09
450 000
The red line represents the total
400 000
number of students in the Portuguese
350 000
higher education system. The light
300 000
green line represents the total of
250 000
students in the public higher education
200 000
system. Finally, the dark green line
150 000
represents the number of students in
100 000
private higher education.
50 000
Source: GPEARI/MCTES
Ensino Superior Público
Ensino Superior Privado
~v~
Total
2008-09
2007-08
2006-07
2005-06
2004-05
2003-04
2002-03
2001-02
2000-01
1999-00
1998-99
1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
0
V Contract Between The Ministry and the Polytechnic Sector – CCISP Objectives
Goals
Objectives
Indicator
No. of placements available in CETs
Starting Point
2715
2010
2013
3718
5577
37%
105%
3009
4369
34%
94%
265
1195
165%
1095%
3717
5147
1. Increase the number of CET students
Growth rate of placements available in CETs
2. Increase the number of students in
courses after working hours (night
classes)
No. of placements available in night classes
Growth rate of the no. of placements available in night
classes
No. of places available in long distance learning
3. Increase the number of long distance
Growth rate of the no. of placements in long distance
students
learning
4. Increase the number of students in
2247
No. of placements available
~ vi ~
100
2350
mestrados profissionais
Growth rate of the number of placements available
58%
119%
1310
1295
555
No. of professors with a PhD
736
882
1726
Total number of professors
3539
3562
3520
Growth rate of academic staff in PhD programs
37%
36%
16%
Rate of academic staff with a PhD
21%
25%
49%
Rate of academic success
65%
65%
80%
No. of teachers in PhD programs
5. Increase the qualifications of
academic staff
Improve the synergies of students’ extracurricular
training, offering more short-term courses; encourage
mechanisms that use e-learning training
6. Promote academic success
No. of campaigns
11
7. Support students and labor market
insertion of students who have finished
a degree
27
60
Create Entrepreneurial Promotion Offices; potentiate
partnerships and cooperation with entities linked to
entrepreneurship projects; cooperate with Startup
Creation Offices
~ vii ~
Create Applied Research Offices; boost
multidisciplinary research; involve scientific areas
associated to curricular unit objectives; encourage
technical and scientific events; increase revenues by
providing services to private and public entities
8. Reinforce applied research
Establish a program of applied sciences at a European
level
9. Internationalize Portuguese
polytechnic higher education
10. Create and accreditate Quality
Assurance Offices
Create Entrepreneurial Promotion Offices, long
distance learning in Portuguese speaking countries;
establish protocols to create 2nd cycle in-person
and/or e-learning system courses
Quality Assurance Offices
Quality Assurance Offices accredited by an
international agency
~ viii ~
0
18
18
0
18