Portugal Education Minister addresses exam delays and student integration

Portugal's Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Fernando Alexandre, has acknowledged that students entering higher education through the second phase are the most negatively impacted by delays in exam grading. He noted that these students represent approximately 10% of those entering higher education in the country.

To mitigate the impact of the delayed academic calendar, Alexandre expressed confidence that higher education institutions possess the necessary mechanisms to integrate these students. He mentioned that many universities are accustomed to such delays and utilize class recovery processes for students who begin their studies two weeks late. The decision regarding the calendar changes remains within the scope of institutional autonomy.

Data from the Institute for Higher Education (IES) indicates that following the first phase, which saw the highest number of placements in a decade (excluding 2020), over 11,112 places remain available after accounting for students who did not enroll.