Portugal upgrades two higher‑education institutions to university status

The Instituto Politécnico de Tomar received the maximum six‑year accreditation from the Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior (A3ES) and will be renamed Universidade Politécnica de Tomar on 1 August. The accreditation recognises the institute’s performance in teaching, research, innovation, internationalisation and societal engagement. While the name change does not automatically raise staff salaries, the new university status will require a higher proportion of doctoral‑qualified and full‑time faculty.

The Universidade de Leiria e Oeste (ULO), successor to the Politécnico de Leiria, was formally created and announced as a historic step for the region. Its transformation agenda targets full operational capacity by 2030, with the institution aiming to meet the five‑year installation limit in four years. The plan involves extensive stakeholder participation, the establishment of new statutes, and the formation of multidisciplinary working groups to shape the university’s academic and innovation profile.