The article is an opinion by Luis M. Rocha that questions the current approach of the higher education access system in Portugal. The central thesis defended by the author is that the system should be more demanding in relation to universities, rather than imposing strict restrictions on young candidates.
Rocha suggests that Portugal should learn from countries that do not use numerus clausus, such as Belgium and France. In these countries, access to higher education is not subject to the same admission limits that exist in Portugal, allowing greater openness and flexibility for students.
The author also mentions the example of the University of California, a university that rejects the use of standardized tests as an admission criterion. This example is used to reinforce the idea that there are successful alternative models that do not depend on such restrictive barriers for students.
Luis M. Rocha's opinion thus proposes an inversion of the current logic: instead of making it difficult for young people to access higher education, academic institutions should be more rigorous in their own standards and methodologies, adapting to receive a greater diversity of students.
