Portugal's tertiary education sector has expanded significantly over the last 20 years, but participation and overall educational attainment levels remain below European standards and enrolment rates have begun to decline. The OECD review recommends that Portugal's national government should focus on strategic direction and leave higher education institutions wider latitude for accomplishing public priorities consistent with their mission. Among its proposals for reform, the review calls for the creation of a National Council on Higher Education to oversee Portugal's higher education strategy. The review also calls for major changes in the governance and management of higher education institutions to bring them into line with national goals, encourage their responsiveness and efficiency, and improve their quality. Improving research and innovation is a key strategic objective of the Portuguese government, and the OECD review suggests a number of qualitative changes in Portugal's tertiary education system to enhance performance in this area.
Executive Summary
Chapter 1. Introduction and Context
Chapter 2. System Diversity and System Co-ordination
Chapter 3. Institutional Governance
Chapter 4. Educational Programmes: Access, Quality, and Relevance
Chapter 5. Research, Innovation and Internationalisation
Chapter 6. Financing Tertiary Education
Chapter 7. Conclusions
Annex A. Schedule of Visit 15-26 May 2007
Annex B. List of Submissions
Annex C. History of Governance
Annex D. Income-Contingent Loans
Annex E. Terms of Reference for the OECD Team
Annex F. List of Acronyms
References