The Porto Business School's Global Online MBA reached sixth place worldwide in the Financial Times Online MBA Ranking 2026. The program was ranked first globally for 'Value for Money' and 'overall satisfaction', with alumni reporting a 28% average salary increase three years after graduation. Students should note it is the only Portuguese institution featured in this specific global ranking.

The Ministry of Education is investigating reports that nearly 80 schools were visited by digital influencers linked to adult content during student association campaigns over the last two years. The investigation follows media reports revealing weaknesses in school management bodies that allowed these individuals to participate in student activities. Parents should be aware that the government has announced new guidelines to prohibit any school activities that contradict educational values.

The Agrupamento das Escolas de Marrazes in Leiria has produced a welcome kit for immigrant students; the grouping now has more than 500 immigrant pupils from about 37 nationalities among roughly 2,500 students. The manual uses playful, accessible content to help children settle in and learn about school routines and local services. Parents of foreign-born pupils in the area should ask schools for the manual and language-support resources.

Bluepharma will open a new production unit in Coimbra for complex injectable medicines related to gene therapy, with operations expected to start in April; the project is the result of a consortium of ten entities and marks further investment in pharmaceutical innovation. The unit is intended to support manufacturing capacity for advanced therapies and may create specialised local jobs. Healthcare and biotech workers, and regional suppliers, should watch hiring and procurement notices as the unit becomes operational.

Registrations for the first phase of the national secondary school exams opened on 6 March and run until 19 March; students may also register for self‑proposed 9th‑grade tests. The Directorate‑General for Education (Direção‑Geral da Educação) published the registration rules: internal and self‑proposed students must register, take a Portuguese exam and choose two additional subjects according to the instructions. Students and parents should complete registrations before the 19 March deadline and follow the DGE guidance on subject choices.

The Order of Dentists (Ordem dos Médicos Dentistas) says more than two million dental vouchers intended for children and young people have never been used, often because families were unaware of the programme or lacked guidance on how to claim them. The scheme has offered free consultations since 2008 and the OMD criticised schools and some clinicians for poor promotion and uptake. Families with young children should check eligibility and ask local health units about accessing the dental voucher programme.

Fenprof, the national teachers' union, refused to continue negotiations with the Government over the teaching career statute after the ministry barred the union Stop from the meeting because it was protesting outside the Ministry of Education. Fenprof said it could not accept what it called an undermining of the right to protest; the Secretary of State for Education said the Government will not negotiate “under pressure.” Teachers and school staff should watch how the standoff affects progress on the career statute and any planned strike or industrial-action dates.

The University of Minho (UMinho) will include five double-degree programmes in the 2026/27 national access competition, pairing Economics, Management and International Business in different combinations and calling itself the first public institution to do so. The university says the courses aim to better prepare graduates for a competitive and changing job market and will be available through the standard national admission process. Prospective students and families should check UMinho entry requirements and the national access timetable when applying. Applicants should note the new offerings when comparing programmes for 2026/27.

The school year began March with about 250 fewer active teachers as a wave of retirements worsens staffing gaps, hitting areas previously less affected such as the north. School directors report classes and final‑year groups running without permanent teachers, raising concerns about continuity of lessons and exam preparation. Local education authorities will need rapid redeployment or substitute measures; parents and students should check with schools about temporary arrangements. Families with school‑age children should monitor notices from their local school or municipality.

Portuguese universities are reviewing assessment methods after widespread student use of artificial intelligence tools forced a rethink of traditional exams and essays. Institutions say they will not ban AI wholesale but will change how they test skills, moving toward oral exams, supervised assessments and revised plagiarism checks. Students should expect changes to exam formats and academic integrity rules this year. Anyone studying at a Portuguese university should check course notices and faculty guidance on permitted tools and new assessment dates.

Students at the Faculty of Law in Lisbon say 64% pay more than €450 a month for a room, a level their student association says forces some to abandon higher education. Joana Ventinhas, president of AAFDL, told the municipal assembly that the housing shortfall undermines equal opportunity and urged local authorities to act. Students and families planning study in Lisbon should factor high private accommodation costs into budgets and watch for municipal responses.

The Academic Association of the Faculty of Law of Lisbon has warned of a shortage of student accommodation in the capital, Correio da Manhã reports. The group says demand outstrips supply, raising costs and placing pressure on students seeking nearby housing. Students, parents and landlords in Lisbon should expect heightened competition for rooms and consider earlier searches or alternative neighbourhoods. Students planning to move to Lisbon for study should look into university housing services and private‑sector options now.

A study from the Reflection Centre of the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation, Edulog, finds students from rural areas and low‑resource backgrounds remain the most disadvantaged when accessing higher education, with distance and costs cited among key barriers, Dinheiro Vivo reports. The research examines regional inequalities and student mobility over the past decade and flags persistent gaps despite policy efforts. Families and students planning higher‑education paths should consider distance, transport and financial support options early. What is the Belmiro de Azevedo Foundation? and What is Edulog? (see explainers).

Fenprof, the National Federation of Teachers, says some teachers in artistic and vocational education have been kept on fixed‑term contracts (contratos a termo) for up to 15 years, a practice Fenprof warns breaches EU community directives. The federation's secretary‑general raised the issue to highlight long‑term instability in that sector. Teachers working in arts and vocational schools and parents of pupils should be aware this dispute could prompt inspections or legal challenges.

PaRK International School in Lisbon is holding open days across its campuses to present its Early Learning, Primary and Secondary programmes to families, the school (part of the Inspired Education Group) says. The events are aimed at parents considering international education options in the city and will showcase curriculum and facilities. Families looking for international or bilingual schooling in Lisbon should register early for visits and ask about places and fees.

In the document released by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) and sent to the unions for the negotiation meeting on Wednesday, the Government presents its proposal to revise the Teaching Career Statute.

The Financial Times MBA rankings put The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova among Portugal's top programmes and mark the debut of Porto Business School in the top 100 at 96th place. The Lisbon MBA consolidated its national leadership, while the Porto programme's entry raises the country's international profile for executive education. Executives and prospective MBA candidates should factor rising international recognition into decisions about study location and employer sponsorship.

Update: Porto Business School debuts at 96th

ECO and Dinheiro Vivo report The Lisbon MBA retained its national leadership in the Financial Times Global MBA rankings while Porto Business School made its first appearance in the top 100 at 96th. Dinheiro Vivo notes The Lisbon MBA has about 80% foreign students and roughly 50% foreign faculty, underlining the programme's international orientation.

A free preparatory course for the Encceja Abroad exam is now open in Lisbon for Brazilians who did not complete primary or secondary education, Dinheiro Vivo reports. The Encceja Abroad test, run by the Brazilian authorities, certifies skills equivalent to school qualifications and can improve job prospects and help integration, according to organisers. Brazilian residents in Portugal who need formal certification should consider registering for the course.