The new decree from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) authorizing an increase of up to 5% in places in public higher education starting in the 2026/2027 academic year is generating concerns about its impact on institutions located in sparsely populated areas.
The measure, which allows for a generalized expansion of places in all public universities and polytechnics, replaces the previous, more restrictive model, in which only courses with excellence ratings or in areas of digital skills could benefit from this type of expansion. However, several sector organizations are warning about the asymmetrical effects of the uniform application of this rule.
In statements prior to the final version of the decree – which at one point predicted an increase of up to 10% – the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP) warned that the measure could harm institutions located in the interior and in peripheral areas, by favoring establishments located in large urban centers, which by nature tend to have greater demand.
The CCISP (Council of Institutions of Higher Polytechnic Education) stated that this approach could compromise the sustainability of institutions in the interior of the country and contradict the objectives of territorial cohesion and regional development, as expressed in the Government’s program. The same concern was shared by the National Federation of Associations of Students of Higher Polytechnic Education (FNAEESP), which considered that a uniform increase in places primarily benefits institutions with greater attractiveness, typically located in densely populated urban areas.
Although the Ministry of Education and Science, Technology and Innovation (MECI) backtracked on the maximum increase in places, setting it at 5% instead of the initially proposed 10%, it maintained the uniform application of the measure, which, according to the sector’s representative structures, does not resolve existing regional imbalances.
Concerns also focus on the possible attraction of students by institutions in large urban centers, to the detriment of those located in regions with smaller young populations and greater difficulties in attracting students. These institutions also face challenges related to financial sustainability, the provision of accommodation, and maintaining the quality of education.
New Criteria Seek to Adjust Balance
The new decree also introduces a criterion linked to graduate unemployment, aiming to prevent an increase in places in courses where the unemployment rate is higher than the average for the institution and the corresponding training area. This measure aims to avoid opening places in areas with low employability, and may represent a more balanced management tool, but does not directly address the territorial inequalities mentioned.
Private institutions and the Catholic University of Portugal are excluded from the scope of the decree.
The places for the 2026/2027 academic year will be announced on February 16th, under the responsibility of the new Institute for Higher Education.
Keywords: low density, territorial coherence, increase in vacancies, public higher education, CCISP, FNAEESP, interior, Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, regional disparities, attractiveness of institutions.
