The University of Minho's investment in double degrees exemplifies a significant shift in higher education, indicating that the academic system is capable of meaningful change. This initiative reflects a holistic approach to education, adapting to market demands and enhancing student integration.

Secondary school students have a two-week window to register for national exams, which began on 6 March and will close on 19 March. The provisional calendar for the higher education access competition has been released, with applications starting on 20 July. Students must register online and take mandatory exams in Portuguese along with two additional subjects. The first phase of national exams will occur from 16 to 26 June, while the national admission competition will take place in three phases from 20 July to 24 September.

This article provides an overview of available vacancies and newly introduced courses in higher education institutions.

The upcoming academic year 2026/27 will see a significant increase in public higher education places, with a total of 78,283 available, marking an increase of 1,465 from the previous year. Notably, the University of Trás-os-Montes will debut a new Medicine course, contributing to an overall increase of 62 places in this field, while the University of Coimbra will add 22. Additionally, the Basic Education sector will see a 12% rise in places, with 147 new spots, as part of efforts to enhance teacher training through increased funding. The total number of integrated degree places across public and private institutions will reach 107,598, reflecting a broader diversification of access routes to higher education.

This year, students have 56,790 places available in the national access competition and local competitions for higher education. Institutions may require only one exam for admission, providing a streamlined process for applicants. This guide outlines the necessary exams and changes in policy for those seeking to enter higher education.

The Lisbon MBA Católica/Nova SBE has gained international recognition, with 80% of its students and 50% of its faculty being foreign. It ranks first in Portugal and 24th in Europe according to the Financial Times Global MBA 2026 ranking. The programme, a collaboration between Católica Lisbon, Nova SBE, and MIT Sloan, emphasizes diversity and has a 53% female participation rate. It is noted for its strong international course experience and has participants from 18 different nationalities.

Portugal now boasts two MBA programs ranked among the top 100 globally, as reported by the Financial Times. The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova has solidified its position as the leading program in the country, while the International MBA from Porto Business School makes its first appearance in the rankings at 96th place.

The Director of Nova SBE criticises the rector’s decision to revert faculty names to Portuguese, arguing that in a global competition for talent overly centralised control or restrictions on institutional decision‑making undermine agility, performance and international appeal. He warns that language and branding choices are strategic levers for attracting students, faculty and partners, and that narrowing those options risks harming Nova SBE’s and Portugal’s ambition to become a global reference in higher education. The piece analyses the trade‑offs between local identity and internationalisation and calls for governance that preserves autonomy and responsiveness to global market demands.

Rogério Casanova argues that not all functional academic writing—such as recommendation letters or election manifestos—needs to be crafted by highly skilled humans. He advocates for more explicit manifestos and institutional policies governing the use of AI in universities, allowing routine and low-value writing to be delegated to tools while preserving human oversight where it matters. The column frames such manifestos as pragmatic, ethical guides to protect quality, fairness and accountability in higher education’s adoption of AI.

Ivo Vieira, CEO of Lusospace — Portugal’s first homegrown space company — explains on the podcast 'O Futuro do Futuro' how the country’s Aerospace Engineering courses continue to post record-breaking averages and how that strong educational pipeline is producing talent the national space sector can recruit across roles, not only engineers. He stresses that the quality of graduates makes recruitment easier for emerging Portuguese space firms, signalling a maturing ecosystem linking higher education and industry needs.

NOVA IMS (NOVA School of Information Management) is the information management and data science faculty of NOVA University Lisbon. It specialises in data science, information management and business analytics through taught programmes, applied research and industry partnerships. The school emphasises quantitative methods, practical analytics skills and interdisciplinary approaches to prepare graduates for roles in data-driven organisations and to support research and consulting activity across public and private sectors.