In 2026, 39 public higher education programmes in Portugal failed to attract any placed students in the first phase of the national access contest. The number might seem circumstantial, were it not for previous years, which show a recurring trend.
Miguel Copetto's article addresses the situation of public higher education programmes that continue to open vacancies without being able to attract students. This absence of placed students represents a structural problem in the Portuguese public higher education system.
Miguel Copetto analyses this phenomenon as more than an isolated case, suggesting that the repetition of this situation over several years indicates a need for reflection on the viability and relevance of these programmes. The author's opinion points to the need to evaluate which programmes should continue to be offered by the State.
