“The government has challenged higher education institutions with a decline in applicants to present a strategic plan, encouraging them to redirect their educational offerings to address this new reality while ensuring a comprehensive network of institutions and territorial cohesion of the system,” stated Cláudia Sarrico.
The Secretary of State made the remarks at the closing of the event “Higher Education in Portugal: Policies for Access and Success,” organized by the Directorate-General for Higher Education. During the event, findings from the report of the project “Making Higher Education More Inclusive in Portugal” by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were presented.
Without providing details on the measure, Cláudia Sarrico added that the new strategic plans “may become the basis for the signing of program contracts that reinforce the importance of these institutions in the development of their regions and territorial cohesion, also contributing to more inclusive access to higher education.”
According to the official, higher education should also be attractive and accessible to adults, ensuring lifelong learning in the context of an aging population.
“If we do nothing, we risk a double loss: fewer young people entering higher education and insufficient retraining of adults to meet the demands of a changing economy,” she warned.
To address this challenge, the Secretary of State emphasized the need to diversify programs and teaching models with flexible options that make study compatible with work and family life.
Regarding the OECD report, which focused primarily on the equity conditions in the transition from secondary to higher education, Cláudia Sarrico acknowledged that inequalities “take shape from early childhood” and that student support in higher education “does not always cover the real cost of studying and living.”
The OECD document states that the financial support system “is well integrated into the system and provides a good base for students,” but it is insufficient, especially for students from distant areas.
Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, students are expected to benefit from a new social action model that, according to the Secretary of State, will be “fairer and more predictable, recognizing that financial barriers to access and success in higher education are primarily associated with housing and living costs.”
In this regard, in addition to tuition, it will also consider the real living costs, particularly for students from distant areas, in line with OECD recommendations.
“We will continue to reinforce investment in affordable student housing in partnership with higher education institutions, municipalities, and other entities,” she added.
