NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

There are also a number of higher education institutions which are under the joint responsibility of the Ministry of Education
and other ministries such as the Academia Militar (Army Academy), Escola Náutica (Navy School), Academia da Força
Aérea (Airforce Academy), Escola Superior de Polícia (Higher School for Police Officers) (see further, under
Section III).
I.2. Number of students
The number of students enrolled in initial courses for the 1995/96 academic year was as follows:
Public higher education organised by the Ministry of Education
University education 131585
Polytechnic education 47158
Public higher education organised by the Ministry
of Education and other ministries
University and polytechnic education 6927
Private higher education
University education 43102
Other higher education institutions 54598
Portuguese Catholic university 9040
Total 292410
I.3. Organisation of course of study
Teaching terms
In general, the academic year begins on 1 October and ends on 31 July. In courses organised into semesters there is a one
month interval between the end of the first semester and the beginning of the second semester. This interval, which occurs
generally in January or February, is used for the examinations concerning the subjects of the first semester. However, no
general rule exists because each institution establishes its own calendar, which specifies lecture periods, dates of examinations
and holidays. At both Christmas and Easter, there is normally a two-week vacation.
Learning activities
According to the characteristics of the course, the following types of learning activity may be combined: lectures, seminars,
conferences, practical training and study visits. Lectures may be theoretical, practical or a combination of both. Practical
lectures may or may not be laboratory based. Theoretical lectures aim at the comprehensive learning of facts, concepts and
principles.
The practical and theoretical lectures aim at the learning of methods and the practical application of concepts and principles.
Seminars aim at organising the student’s work concerning a theme or themes in order to achieve a sound knowledge through
documented research, observation and experiment. Conferences consist of the analysis and discussion of one or several
themes. Study visits aim at the direct observation of one or several cases, which always involve the previous definition of the
objects of study and respective working methods.
Structure of study programmes