Transcript 2010 Change and Reform in Portuguese Higher Education The

“Change and Reform in Portuguese Higher
Education: The Challenge of Governance at
System and Institutional level”
Barcelona, 28-29 October 2010
Maria Helena Nazaré (former Rector)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
EUA Vice-President
Content:
The Context;
Changes over the last five years;
Chalenges;
The Context
Political and administrative: 5 + 2 regions, 18 districts. Total area 92,090 km2.
Little autonomy from central government. Ex: Education, Health and Justice.
Demography: Total of 10.680 million residents [2009], 58% residing in urban areas [2006]. Growth
rate of .5% [2006], average age 39 years [2006] and a Life Expectancy of 78 years [2007].
Economy: National GDP in Purchasing Power Parity was 245,150 millions of US dollars in 2008 [for
2010 a growth of 0.3% is forecasted], corresponding to 0.33% of world total. GDP (PPP) per capita
$22,027 (estimate 2010). GDP composition is 3% agriculture, 25.5% industry and 71.5% services.
Largest companies are EDP-Energias de Portugal, Portugal Telecom, GALP Energy and BCP
(banking).
Higher Education: HE is a binary system made of University and Politechnic Education. While
Licenciatura and Master degrees are awarded by both Polytechnics and Universities, the doctoral
degree can be conferred only by Universities.
Higher Education Landscape
14 Universities 
1 University Institute ISCTE

UTAD
Minho 
Porto 
40 Politechnic Institutions
Aveiro 
In 2008-09 there were 373,002
students enrolled in HE (282,432
attending public institutions and
90,809 private ones).
1.4% of GDE was invested in HE
(8.1x103 per student, av EU27
8.4x103) [2006].
Coimbra 
U. Lisboa
UTL
UNL
The nº of HE students was 17.3% of
the total, av EU27 17.4% [2006].
 UBI
Aberta


Évora
 Açores
 Madeira
 Algarve
Changes in the Last 5 Years:
signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999;
Education Act (Lei de Bases) approved by the end of 2005.
Ensuing needed legislation, for the change of the degree
structures, introduced in March 2006.
2006/07 HE institutions adapted their study programmes to the
Bologna principles. Bologna à Portuguesa
Assessment of the Higher Education System conducted by the
OECD (2006), the ENQA (2006) and the EUA (2006-2010).
Law setting up the detail of what Autonomy mean for HEIs
published in 2007.
What now? Arent we done yet?---I AM AFRAID NOT!!!
Bologna à Portuguesa!!
OECD recommendations
Srengthened system diversity, with the emphasis on the expansion
of the polytechnic sector; (????)
A new framework for quality assurance with the creation of a new
agency for quality assurance in tertiary education;
Large-scale international partnerships between consortia of
Portuguese institutions and leading world tertiary education and
research institutions; (????)
Change of HE governance system;
A new legislative framework which facilitates the outword focus of
institutions;
ENQA
 Accreditation of programmes combined with academic audit at the
level of HEIs;
 Accreditation Agency A3ES created by decree in 2007:
 Independent professional board with decision-making authority.
 Advisory council with a broader representation of relevant
stakeholders.
Pre-accreditation of New Degree Programmes;
Preliminary accreditation of Degree Programmes in
operation
Cyclic Evaluation of Programmes in Operation;
Governance at Institutional level: Governing Bodies
•Board:
Elect its chair from the external stakeholders, organise the election of the rector, approve strategic
and budget plans, set fee levels, approve consolidated financial reports, conduct property
transactions. The chair convenes and presides; s/he does not represent the institution publicly. The
general council normally meets four times a year; it may invite non-voting members. The
rector/president has no vote.
Dimension and Composition:
15 to 35 members. The majority elected teaching/research members of the university community.
At least 30% external members. 15% students.
Final composition left to the Statutes.
•Rector (elected by Board)
A university professor or researcher. National or international. The rector is the main authority within
the university and may (should!?) nominate the Deans. Processes to elect the rector and
appoint deans left to the Statutes.
•Management Council
Maximum 5 members. The Rector presides, the “gerente” is a member, plus one vice rector. The
council may co-opt non-voting members from any constituency, including students. It is charged
with administrative and financial management, management of human resources and of the
property portfolio. Final composition left to the Statutes.
Catch 22:The Statutes
The new rules apply since 2007. BUT:
 There is not one single example of a rector coming from outside the university.
WHY?
The internal members of the board were elected to elect A rector!
 Search Party? Nomination Committee? Look abroad!
 Prepare for next time (4 years from now).
 Deans: Election versus Nomination.
 Evaluate and change statutes if necessary.
New Juridical Framework:
Public University may have legal entity as
•Instituto Público (capacity to contract, to hire staff, to set budgets
and develop policies---staff are civil servants).
OR
•Fundação Pública de direito privado (capacity to contract at higher
level, to hire staff and set their pay (no longer civil servants), to set
budgets and devellop policies. To own property and assets and to
earn money).
Public Foundation:
Public HEIs can apply to government for re-designation as a public
foundation governed by private law. The request must be backed by
informed argument. It may be presented by consortia or by institutions
wishing to merge.
A foundation is established by decree and administered by five trustees,
chosen by the university and nominated by government. It enjoys autonomy
in the same way as other HEIs. Although governed by private law, a
foundation is a public service institution; its academic career structure must
normally mirror those in the public sector. Student fees are set by law and a
foundation will receive public funding on a multi-annual contract basis. It will
provide student services, run on the same basis as those in public HEIs.
The Law:
Opens the way to the creation of what it refers to as HEIs of a foundational nature.
Such HEIs will be non-profit foundations in private law, created by public initiative
out of existing public institutions and with a clear public service vocation; they will
effectively constitute a sub-sector of public HE and will NOT fall within the category
of private universities.
The legislators envisage that an existing HEI might deem foundation status to be
more appropriate to its mission. They also allow the possibility of a foundation being
built out of consortia of HE schools, organic entities of existing HEIs and research
centres.
The law specifies that the foundation’s financial, estate and HR management will be
governed by private law. It does not deal with the possibility that foundation status
might offer tax benefits both to the HEI and to potential benefactors.
Changes in the framework – superficial or deep?
Rector Nomination
Property Deals
Personnel has the status
of state employees.
Trustees (5)
Fundação Pública
Instituto Público
Minister
Rector Nomination
Property Deals
Borrowing Money
Personnel has the status of
University employees. Paid
differently within limits.
Catch 22:The Ideological controversy
• Higher Education as a Public Good.
• Laboral link of the workers.
• The civil servant status.
THE CRUX OF the MATTER
The endowment. The plurianual contract. The development plan.
Doing MORE with LESS!
The Bologna Process /What should have changed ! :
– Changes in teaching and learning methodologies:
• Geared toward the acquisition of skills and competences.
• Tailored to the needs of the learners.
– Programmes organized in such a way as to meet the varied needs of
society and extend its offer to new publics. Creation of a diversity of
learning paths and allow mobility between universities and industry.
Cooperation between universities and other partners
BUT SO FAR, in the majority of cases, DID NOT
Higher Education Landscape

UTAD
Minho 
14 Universities 
1 University Institute ISCTE
Porto 
40 Politechnic Institutions
Aveiro 
Private
21 Universities
29 Politechnic Institutions
Coimbra 
 UBI
U. Lisboa
UTL
A crowded landscape!
UNL
Aberta


Évora
 Açores
 Madeira
 Algarve
Universities long viewed as ivory towers are
increasingly recognized as oil wells of the new
economy.
(David Ward)
University, the Palace of Paradox
IVORY TOWER
OIL WELL
WATCH TOWER
Light House
the University of Aveiro as a
trigger for networking and a
driving force for a learning region