Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Portugal: Political Economy Explanations for Centralized Reforms

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Globalization and Change in Higher Education

  • 526 Accesses

Abstract

In recent decades, Portugal has experienced a governance transition from authoritarian rule, under which education policies were planned by the state until 1976, to democratic governance. As a state with a unitary government and a population of approximately 10 million, the pace of higher education reforms has progressed steadily, resulting in Portugal being an EHEA Pathfinder country between 2012 and 2015. This chapter’s qualitative analysis focuses on three points of comparison between Portugal and Spain. These are (1) National Governance Historical Background, (2) Political Economy Context: Opportunities and Challenges, and (3) Higher Education Governance. Portugal’s participation in the EHEA is explained as an intergovernmental policy process, wherein domestic national objectives for higher education quality and attainment align with supranational objectives. The Bologna Process has supported increased autonomy for higher education institutions, which parallels the direction of policy in Portugal and Spain in recent decades.

The state shall promote the democratisation of education and the other conditions needed for an education conducted at school and via other means of training to contribute to equal opportunities, the overcoming of economic, social and cultural inequalities, the development of the personality and the spirit of tolerance, mutual understanding, solidarity and responsibility, to social progress and to democratic participation in public life.

Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Part 1, Article 73.2 (April 1976)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amaral, A., & Magalhães, A. (2005). Implementation of higher education policies: A Portuguese example. In Å. Gornitzka et al. (Eds.), Reform and change in higher education (pp. 117–134). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Amaral, A. (2011). ERA and the Bologna process: Implementation problems and the human resource factor. In S. Avveduto (Ed.). Convergence or differentiation. Human resources for research in a changing European Scenario (pp. 13–54). Naples: ScriptaWeb.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amaral, A. (2013). Founding Director‚ Centre for Research on Higher Education Policies (CIPES)‚ Matosinhos (Porto) and President of the Administration Council‚ A3ES Portuguese National Qualifications Agency; May 28‚ 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. M. (2000). The history of Portugal. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birmingham, D. (2003). A concise history of Portugal (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bonete Perales, R. (2012, 2013). Associate Professor of Applied Economics, and Assessor for the Vice-Chancellor of Internationalization, University of Salamanca. Counselor for Education to the Permanent Delegations of Spain to OECD, UNESCO and the Council of Europe (July 2010-July 2012). Member of the Bologna Follow Up Group for Spain (2008–2012); June 28, 2012 and May 30, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Correia Fernandes, M. 2012, 2013. Professor of the Humanities; Former Vice-Rector, University of Porto, Portuguese Member of the Bologna Follow Up Group (2011–2014); July 23, 2012 and May 29, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Couto, P. A. (2012, 2016). Director of Services of Support to the Network of Higher Education (Direção de Serviços de Suporte à Rede do Ensino Superior). Office of Director General for Higher Education (Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior), Ministry of Education and Science (Ministério da Educação e Ciência), Government of Portugal; July 24, 2012; June 1, 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadush, U. (2012). Is the end of the crisis in sight? Il Sole. March 28, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobbins, M., & Knill, C. (2009). Higher Education Policies in central and Eastern Europe: Convergence toward a common model? Governance: An International Journal of Policy Administration, and Institutions, 22(3), 397–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eurostat. (2012). European Commission statistics historical database.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurostat. (2016). European Commission statistics historical database.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, R. (2004). Democracy’s voices: Social ties and the quality of public life in spain. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire, M. R. (2013). Assistant Professor, International Relations in Faculty of Economics. Portugal: University of Coimbra. May 28, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freysson, L., & Laura, W. (2013). Economy and Finance: Eurostat Statistics in Focus 12/2013. Brussels: European Commission. April 23, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heitor, M., & Hugo, H. (2012). Science and Technology in Portugal: From late awakening to the challenge of integrated communities. In G. Neave & A. Amaral (Eds.). Higher education in Portugal 1974–2009: A Nation, a Generation (pp. 179–226). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntington, S. P. (1991). The third wave: Democratization in the late twentieth century. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lijphart, A. (1999). Patterns of democracy: Government forms and performance in 36 countries. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, K., & Wolf, K. D. (2009). Boomerangs and Trojan horses: The unintended consequences of internationalising education policy through the EU and the OECD. In A. Amaral, G. Neave, C. Musselin, & P. Maassen (Eds.), European integration and the governance of higher education and research (pp. 81–107). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Neave, G., & Amaral, A. (Eds.). (2012). Higher education in Portugal 1974-2009: A nation, a generation. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Donnell, G., & Schmitter, P. C. (1986). Transitions from authoritarian rule: Tentative conclusions about uncertain democracies. Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pereira, Á.S. and Lains, P. (2012). From an Agrarian Society to a Knowledge Economy?: The Rising Importance of Education to the Portuguese Economy, 1950–2009. In Neave, Guy & Alberto Amaral (Eds.). Higher Education in Portugal 1974–2009: A Nation, a Generation. Dordrecht: Springer, 109–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • PORDATA. (2013). Despesas do Estado em educação: execução orçamental em % do PIB—Portugal. Funda Francisco Manuel do Santo.

    Google Scholar 

  • PORDATA. (2016). Despesas do Estado em educação: execução orçamental em % do PIB—Portugal. Funda Francisco Manuel do Santo. Retrieved from: http://www.pordata.pt/Portugal/Despesas+do+Estado+em+educacao+execucao+orcamental-866.

  • Portas, P. (2012). Foreign Minister of Portugal, Speech at Rice University, Houston, Texas. Hosted by Baker Institute for Public Policy; June 7, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portugal, Government of. (2010). Ministry of Science, Technology, and Education. The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in Portugal (FHEQ-Portugal). November 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Royo, S. (Ed.). (2012). Portugal in the twenty-first century: Politics, society and economics. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P. A. (1991). Toward Better Theories of the Policy Process. PS: Political Science and Politics, 24(2), 147–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P. A. (1998). The advocacy coalition framework: Revisions and relevance for Europe. Journal of European Public Policy, 5(1), 98–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P. A. (Ed.). (2007). Theories of the policy process. Cambridge: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, P. A., & Weible, C.M. (2007). The advocacy coalition framework. In P. A. Sabatier (Ed.), Theories of the policy process (pp. 189–220). Cambridge: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasques, I. (2016). Office of Director General for Higher Education (Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior), Ministry of Education and Science (Ministério da Educação e Ciência), Government of Portugal, June 1, 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2006). The open method of coordination and the implementation of the Bologna process. Tertiary Education and Management, 12, 283–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2009a). Policy implementation tools and European governance. In A. Amaral, G. Neave, C. Musselin, & P. Maassen (Eds.), European Integration and the Governance of Higher Education Research (pp. 133–157). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Veiga, A., & Amaral, A. (2009b). Survey on the implementation of the Bologna process in Portugal. Higher Education, 57(1), 57–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wise, P. (2012, April 11). [Portugal] Bailout Agreement Enjoys Support across Party Lines. Financial Times.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank Group. (2016). The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) project. Retrieved from: http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/index.aspx.

  • World federation for medical education and association for medical education in Europe. (2005). Statement on the Bologna process and medical education. February 2005.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Beverly Barrett

Authors
  1. Beverly Barrett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Beverly Barrett .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Barrett, B. (2017). Portugal: Political Economy Explanations for Centralized Reforms. In: Globalization and Change in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52368-2_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52368-2_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-52367-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-52368-2

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation