A decade later - Fundação Luso-Americana

these resources have placed many of our
institutions high on the ladder of international
rankings. In addition, the indicators
show that Portugal is one of the
European countries that has made the
greatest strides in terms of innovation in
the last few years.
Second is the cost of tuition and the
standard of living. In our country, the
financial outlay parents make to put their
kids through college is very different from
the financial burden the average American
family must shoulder to put them through
a program of the same quality. This gives
Portugal a huge advantage, and makes our
universities a truly attractive option.
Third, Portugal is an integral part of
Europe. Under the Bologna Process, our
certificates and diplomas are automatically
recognized throughout Europe, allowing
graduates to go elsewhere in the EU for
other degree or non-degree programs. This
by itself brings untold benefits.
Finally, there’s the opportunity to learn
Portuguese, a language that opens doors
to Brazil and the Portuguese-speaking
African countries, and to the possibility
for career enrichment.
These compelling arguments are what
led FLAD to inaugurate a program to pro-
mote Portuguese universities in the US.
Our main idea is to attract American students
of Portuguese heritage. Aside from
FLAD, the initiative, which we call the
Study In Portugal Program, has received
the sponsorship of the Portuguese Tourist
Board, the Council of University
Chancellors, the Fulbright Commission,
and the Portuguese Agency for Investment
and Foreign Trade, who have all signed
a cooperation protocol to launch further
initiatives to promote our country as a
student destination.
* President of FLAD’s executive Council
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