Higher Education and Continuing Education in Portugal

The Portuguese higher education system has been called upon to play an important role in the regional development of the country through the initial training of technical and managerial cadres and through continuing education. With this role in mind, the State gave its support to the founding of a number of higher education institutions, both public and private, at university and at polytechnic level. Thus the disparities with regard to the availability of higher education throughout Portugal are being reduced. As a result of these measures, all the regions of the country have registered considerable increases in the numbers of students enrolled in higher education institutions, even if these figures are very small compared to those with regard to higher education enrollment in the other countries of Europe. The Portuguese case is an excellent illustration of the future of higher education, not only with regard to the initial training of cadres, but also with regard to the continuing education of teaching staff members and technicians. Research will play a decisive role, not only in production, but also as a means of assuring the continuing education of managerial staffs who are in particular need of it.