NRP Portugal

levelofsustainabilityofeducationandtraining(e.g.theevaluationandautonomyofschools),intermsofquality(teachertraining,NationalReadingPlan,amongstothers)andalsoothermeasureswithanimpactonlyvisibleinthelongerterm,suchasthebroadeningandconsolidationofpre‐school,curricularenrichmentandtheextensionofschooltimetables.Inthelasttwelvemonths,wenotethestart‐upoftheimplementationoftheNSRF,given its strategic importance for the execution of the Lisbon Strategy as theinvestments foreseen in this area are strongly oriented towards the objectives andgoals of this Strategy. Therefore, about 10 months following the EuropeanCommission’s approval of the NSFR Operational Programmes, of the roughly 10,000applicationsapproveduntiltheendofAugust2008,totallingaround€3300millionofcommunity investment funds, it is found that 90% of the foreseen investment isincluded in the categories of expenses that are “friends” of the Lisbon Strategy(“earmarking”).Itisnotedthattheparticularlyhighfigureforearmarkingregisteredtodatereflectsthe fact that the tenders or application periods started at this stage have mainlyinvolvedtheinterventiontypologiescloselyconnectedtotheobjectivesandprioritiesoftheLisbonStrategy,namelyregardingthequalificationofthePortugueseandaboveall in the framework of the Human Potential OP, as well as to the fostering ofinnovation and the stimulation of company investment in improving theircompetitiveness within the scope of Competitiveness Factors OP and also theContinentRegionalOP.TheimplementationoftheBolognaProcesshasevolvedverysignificantlyinthelastfewyears;themajorityofhighereducationcoursesopeningplacesin2007‐2008werealready adapted to the Bologna Model. The integral conclusion of this process isforeseen for 2009‐2010. During this period the number of new graduates from thescientificandtechnologicalareashasbeenincreasingsignificantly,reaching18.8per1000ofthepopulationagedbetween20and29yearsforthefirsttimein2007,thusexceeding the European average; at the same time, the number of new PhDs inscientific and technological areas increased in 2007 to 0.42 per 1000 of populationaged25to34years(thefigurefor2001was0.3).5