The attribution of doctorates can be implemented as of the next academic year. The name change to Polytechnic Universities will take place from 2024. According to IPCA´s and Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP) President, Maria José Fernandes, this is a long-awaited moment that will make a difference in the national panorama of Higher Education: “It is a very important moment for Polytechnic Higher Education that, we believe, will imbue all higher education in Portugal with a new dynamic”.
The proposal made by the PS parliamentary group was approved by an expressive majority, with the favorable vote of all parliamentary groups, and responds to the ambition of the Portuguese polytechnic institutions. According to those responsible for the CCISP, chaired by Maria José Fernandes, “Polytechnic Higher Education can play a decisive role in boosting territories, firstly because it brings institutions closer to the job market and is a key player in companies innovation chains”.
Changing the designation to Polytechnic Universities was another ambition of Polytechnic Higher Education, which will be achieved next year with the end of the review process of the Legal Regime of Higher Education Institutions (RJIES), which is already underway, in that the Basic Law of the Educational System will be amended so that Polytechnic Universities can be instituted and created. The President of IPCA and CCISP stated that “Portuguese Polytechnic Higher Education is fundamental in attracting foreign investment to the area of Innovation and Development, but also international talents that choose our country to continue their work in a business application aspect”.
Maria José Fernandes also declared that, with this decision, international recognition will be expanded, similar to the nomenclatures used all over Europe. In IPCA´S case, in the European University to which it belongs, the RUN-EU, it has Universities of Applied Sciences and Polytechnics as partners.
Aware of its role in the region, IPCA welcomes this decision which, meeting the aspirations of its academic community, enables the growth and evolution of an advanced formative offer in partnership with companies.
To emphasize that IPCA already teaches three doctorates in partnership with Portuguese universities, in the areas of Accounting, Development of Digital Games and Design.
