Portugal
- Five universities now have foundation status which gives greater autonomy in some aspects of their activities
- Financial pressures continue to cause problems for Portuguese universities as austerity measures remain in place across the public sector
Organisational autonomy: medium high
The law states selection criteria for executive heads, dismissal procedure (with external confirmation necessary), and exact term of office. Universities must include and freely appoint external members in their board/council. Portuguese universities decide on their academic structures. They may create both for-profit and non-profit legal entities with restrictions.
Financial autonomy: medium high
Universities may not reallocate block grant funds across set categories. Universities can keep surpluses with the approval of an external authority. There are differences in access to borrowing as only foundation status universities are able to contract loans. Universities may own and sell buildings with notification to the ministry. At Bachelor level tuition fees for national/EU students have to be set below a ceiling stipulated by an external authority, while universities may freely set fees for other levels and for international students.
Academic autonomy: medium low
Universities negotiate overall student numbers with the ministry. At Bachelor level admission criteria are co-regulated between universities and the ministry. All new degree programmes at Bachelor, Master and doctoral levels must be submitted for prior accreditation so as to be introduced. Universities cannot choose either quality assurance mechanisms or providers.
Staffing autonomy: medium high
The recruitment of senior academic staff is regulated by law, while an external confirmation is only required for senior administrative staff with civil servant status. The State controls the overall expenses in salaries, which are externally set for staff with civil servant status. Dismissals are strictly regulated for these staff. The law regulates the composition of promotion committees for senior academic staff.
Organisational weighted 80% unweighted 74%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
75% Selection criteria for the executive head
The law states that the executive head must hold an academic position
80% Dismissal of the executive head
The dismissal is confirmed by an external authority but the procedure is decided by the university
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
100% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Universities can freely decide on external members
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
60% Capacity to create legal entities
Financial weighted 70% unweighted 75%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
60% Type of public funding
Block grant is split into broad categories and there are no or limited possibilities to move funds between these
0% Ability to borrow money
Universities cannot borrow money
This applies to 5 other countries: Hesse, Hungary, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland
80% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept but the approval of an external authority is needed
This applies to 2 other countries: Iceland, Luxembourg,
80% Ability to own buildings
40% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Universities can set the level of tuition fees under a ceiling set by an external authority
This applies to 4 other countries: Hungary, Iceland, Italy, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 8 other countries: Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 11 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom
Staffing weighted 62% unweighted 62%
58% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Other restrictions
83% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Appointments need to be confirmed by an external authority for some staff
This does not apply to any other country.
58% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for some staff
This applies to one other country: Austria
58% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for some staff
60% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia
60% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Spain
43% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
The law states who has to be included in the selection committee
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 7 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Wallonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Serbia
71% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 4 other countries: Brandenburg, Wallonia, Lithuania, Serbia
Academic weighted 54% unweighted 52%
60% Overall student numbers
Universities negotiate with an external authority
This applies to 10 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Finland, Hesse, Iceland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Hesse, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Sweden
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
0% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
0% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
0% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
0% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities cannot choose the quality assurance agency
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom