While Portugal is a relatively small country, there is great diversify between its regions and its higher education landscape. Continental Portugal has strong intra and inter regional disparities.
Among the three continental regions classified as less developed in the EU Cohesion Policy, Norte has the highest number of HEIs and proportion of students, leading to a competition for ESIF, while Alentejo only has one university and two polytechnics, leading to problems in absorbing R&I funds. Lisbon, like many capital cities, is in the paradoxical position of having the highest numbers of students and researchers but a very low allocation of ESIF, due to its status as a more developed region. Algarve is confronted by relatively low levels of research infrastructure and even less students per head of population than Alentejo but, because of its size and status as a transition region, it has a low ESIF allocation without the capital city benefits enjoyed by Lisbon.
Finally, Centro has high performing HEIs, including Coimbra, the oldest university in Portugal, and other important research actors, such as the internationally recognised Pedro Nunes Institute. The region prides itself on its symbolic capital in terms of knowledge and science but, despite these achievements, the impact on business and innovation is out of step with the global status of its universities. Norte and Centro have been the two most active Portuguese regions in promoting smart specialisation and developing international cooperation around S3 priorities.
Among the three continental regions classified as less developed in the EU Cohesion Policy, Norte has the highest number of HEIs and proportion of students, leading to a competition for ESIF, while Alentejo only has one university and two polytechnics, leading to problems in absorbing R&I funds. Lisbon, like many capital cities, is in the paradoxical position of having the highest numbers of students and researchers but a very low allocation of ESIF, due to its status as a more developed region. Algarve is confronted by relatively low levels of research infrastructure and even less students per head of population than Alentejo but, because of its size and status as a transition region, it has a low ESIF allocation without the capital city benefits enjoyed by Lisbon.
Finally, Centro has high performing HEIs, including Coimbra, the oldest university in Portugal, and other important research actors, such as the internationally recognised Pedro Nunes Institute. The region prides itself on its symbolic capital in terms of knowledge and science but, despite these achievements, the impact on business and innovation is out of step with the global status of its universities. Norte and Centro have been the two most active Portuguese regions in promoting smart specialisation and developing international cooperation around S3 priorities.