2026

No reforms have been completed. 

2025

Working group to review the legal framework governing higher education degrees and diplomas

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation intends to review the law governing higher education degrees and diplomas. On the one hand, the legal framework for academic degrees and higher education diplomas dates back to 2006 (integration into the Bologna Process) and the evolution of the higher education system since then makes it necessary to ensure that it is adapted to current realities and capable of promoting high standards of quality, rigour and relevance in the provision of study programmes. On the other hand, as part of the ongoing review of the Legal Framework for Higher Education Institutions (RJIES), there is a clear intention to unify university, polytechnic and scientific research teaching careers. 

To this end, a working group has been set up, led by the Secretary of State for Higher Education, which has until the end of October 2026 to analyse the legal framework currently in force and present its conclusions and proposals for revision, with a view to establishing a legal framework based on “standards of quality, rigour and relevance in the provision of study programmes” within Portuguese higher education.

“Programme contracts” with higher education institutions to encourage initial teacher training

Portugal, like many other European Union countries, faces several challenges in Education, including a shortage of teachers, for which solutions must be found in order to meet future needs. According to a study published last September, it will be necessary to recruit around 20,000 teachers by the 2029-2030 school year. These teacher recruitment shortages are widespread though more worrying in some key recruitment groups and in certain regions, such as Lisboa, the Setúbal Peninsula and the Algarve.

In this context, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) has established structural measures to broaden the teacher recruitment base, in particular by increasing the number of students in courses for initial teacher training. Considering the autonomy of higher education institutions (HEI), the Government seeks to promote conditions that encourage the HEI to strengthen the training of graduates qualified to teach, mostly in areas associated with the recruitment groups with the greatest shortages in the region where they are based, in order to ensure that supply is adjusted to projected needs.

Thus, a Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 138/2025 was approved, authorising expenditure in “programme contracts” signed with HEI specifically for teacher training. The “programme contracts” increase the funding allocated annually, through the base operating budget, to basic education and master's degree courses that qualify teachers. In return, the HEI must commit to annual targets for the number of graduates by the 2029-2030 academic year.

The contracts are scheduled to run from 2025/2026 to 2029/2030 and are designed to address the ageing teaching workforce and the recruitment needs forecast up to 2034/2035. The priority areas correspond to the recruitment groups facing the greatest national shortages, including: Early Childhood Education and Care, Primary education (grades 1 to 4), Portuguese, English, History, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Physics and Chemistry, Biology and Geology.

Career progression for teachers in higher education

There are two types of career progression for teaching staff in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs):

• Mandatory – progression takes place when a faculty member receives the highest performance rating for six consecutive years, which corresponds to two consecutive evaluations;
• Managerial – these progressions are subject to the specific internal regulations of each HEI and depend on performance evaluations. They must also comply with a limit set by a joint order issued by the Government members responsible for Finance, Public Administration, and Higher Education.

Since 2009, the Statute of the University Teaching Career (ECDU) and the Statute of the Career of Polytechnic Higher Education Teaching Staff (ECPDESP) have stipulated that the maximum amount of financial resources that can be allocated each year to managerial changes in remuneration positioning must be determined annually by the aforementioned joint order. However, this order had not been published until 2025.

In March 2025, the annual order provided for in both Career Statutes was finally published, establishing the necessary conditions for implementing changes in remuneration positioning resulting from the application of each institution’s regulations. The maximum amount of financial resources that can be allocated annually to managerial progressions was set at up to 1% of the total teaching staff payroll of the respective institution, subject to the HEIs' budget availability.

Also in March 2025, a second decree was published allowing for the implementation of career progressions that had not been carried out previously due to the absence of the annual order, provided there is sufficient budget availability within the HEIs.

New Legal Framework for Higher Education Institutions

A new Legal Framework for Higher Education Institutions was approved to substitute  the one in force since 2007, via a draft bill submitted to Parliament in February 2024. The four main areas of change are: the binary university/polytechnic system and rationalisation of the network; autonomy; governance; and other changes, such as limits on recruiting doctoral graduates by the institution awarding the degree or opening up the evaluation and accreditation processes for institutions and their courses to national accreditation agencies from EU member states.

For more information, see Chapter 6: Higher education

2024

Student Accommodation Now

Due to the accommodation situation for higher education students worsening, in September 2024, the government created a total of 709 accommodation units in 22 Pousadas da Juventude  (youth hostels) and four INATEL units. This involves 25 higher education institutions that have signed Student Accommodation Now agreements. This year, these protocols cost 900,000 euros, rising to two million euros next year. The aim of this policy is to reduce the impact of the delay in building new university halls of residence in Portugal and to reduce the drop-out rate due to the high cost of accommodation.

In addition to this measure, the government has created a line of credit worth 5.5 million euros, which is available to higher education institutions to find more beds through protocols with public, private or social organisations.

For more information, see the government’s website.

Psychologist Voucher and Nutritionist Voucher

Currently, around 11 per cent of students entering higher education drop out by the end of their first year. Convinced that this situation can be counteracted by improving students’ well-being and quality of life, the government signed protocols with psychologist and nutritionist associations at the beginning of September 2024. These agreements provide 100,000 psychology and 50,000 nutritionist consultations at higher education institutions, costing 2.250 million euros this year, which will rise to 5.625 million euros in 2025.

For more information, see government’s website.

More support for higher education students 

To increase the number of students studying higher education programmes, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation has made changes to the regulation concerning public financial support and grants to higher education students. 

These changes introduced aim to make grants and financial support programmes more suitable to the real socio-economic situation of students, promoting success and reducing the number of early leavers in higher education. 

The changes offer benefits for working students, increase the number of students eligible to receive financial support for accommodation when studying away from home, while reducing the time it takes for students already enrolled in short-cycle higher education courses (higher professional technical courses) to start receiving a grant.

Some of these changes reflect the measures already approved of the You Have a Future in Portugal (Tens Futuro em Portugal) programme launched in May 2024 , which aims to support young people.

The revised regulation will be implemented during the next academic year (2024/2025).

For more information, see the Government’s Website. 

Revision of the scientific research statute

A legislative proposal to revise the Scientific Research Career Statute (ECIC) is being finalised for consideration by the Council of Ministers in September 2024. The new statute will make research careers in Portugal more attractive for doctoral graduates and more aligned with the European Union’s guiding principles, moving the career of scientific research closer to that of higher education teacher, offering greater inter-career mobility 

The aim is for the thousand or so PhD researchers to be hired via the first edition of the  FCT - Tenure recruitment to be clear about the career they are embarking upon. FCT - Tenure is a tool that offers professional stability to researchers and their areas of research, as well as creating a more attractive and sustainable career horizon for professionals at the start of their careers. 

The award applies to young workers resident in Portugal, up to the age of 35 at the time the award is bestowed and who have obtained a first cycle degree and/or master's degree from Portuguese higher education institutions (public or private) from the year 2023 (inclusive) onwards. The rules apply to the same academic degrees obtained abroad, provided they are recognised in Portugal.

This support is designed for young people who have category A (dependent work) or category B (self-employed) income. They must have submitted their income tax return within the legal deadline, as well as having their tax situation regularised. 

The award can also be solicited by first graduates and holders of master’s degrees who obtained their qualifications before 2023, provided that the number of years that have elapsed since the degree was awarded is fewer than the number of years of the cycle of studies.