Governing Access in Higher Education The Portuguese Case Centro de Investigação de Políticas do Ensino Superior (CIPES)

Governing Access in Higher Education Period – The democratisation of the system 1974 Revolution: “Towards Socialism” – opening higher education to those who were excluded from it (low enrolments < 7%) From to enrolments increased from about 57,000 in to 72,000 in (+/- 26%) “Civic service”was introduced to slow-down the mass ‘invasion’ of university ‘Medium level’ schools were promoted to higher education institutions. Universities were asked to help in the search for answers to national problems while making their technical and scientific capacity available to other public services (namely by regionalising some of them).

Governing Access in Higher Education : the “normalisation period” (i.e., convergence with the other European countries ) Political goals: To massificate and diversify the system (both by implementing a binary system and by allowing the emergence of the private system); To increase the public sector institutional autonomy (namely, universities); To regulate the size of the higher education system by means of access policies.

Governing Access in Higher Education 1976 and numerus clausus system World Bank recommended to restrain enrolment quotas, to make “better use” and to rationalise the supply of HE and to improve the management of the system The creation of the binary system

Governing Access in Higher Education In 1979, the Minister of Education authorised the first private higher education institution From 1985 to 89 the Ministry authorised an increasing number of private institutions. The expansion of the private sector is associated with the favourable conditions that were created in 1989 for its expansion by lowering the requirements to enter higher education. In , private institutions had approximately 10% of the country’s overall enrolment. By , they had 22%. In % of the total enrolment.

Governing Access in Higher Education 1990 to a 105.8% overall increase of students’ enrolments (“More is a problem”): public universities increased by 62% public polytechnics increased private sector increased by 121.7%.

Governing Access in Higher Education

Number of students enrolled in higher education

Governing Access in Higher Education The mid 1990s – from uncontrolled expansion to increased quality Introduction of pass examinations at the end of the 10th and 11th grades, and national examinations for each subject at the end of the 12th grade; institutions, were encouraged and allowed to set minimum marks in the access examinations to HE.

Governing Access in Higher Education Present context and main issues: a consistent decline in the number of candidates due to demography. Consistent increase of public vacancies’ offer. In 2002 legislation enforced minimum marks in the national access examinations for all candidates in every sector of higher education, (the law has become effective for the academic year 2005/06). In the academic year 2003/04 the Ministry decided to close down 35 study programmes because of low student enrolment and reduced the number of available vacancies.

Governing Access in Higher Education Hot issues: Low efficiency of institutions and system Low quality of some provision Decreasing enrolments and the competition for students. Excessive concentration in some areas (the ‘gold mine’ syndrome)

Governing Access in Higher Education Change in 1st year enrolments, private polytechnics (%), in three areas: Education: from 36.9% (1977/78) to 24.4% (2004/05) Social siences, commerce and law: from 31.6% (1997/98)) to 14.0% (2004/05) Health : from 13.7 % (1997/98) to 52.1% (2004/05)