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Between 1976 and 2001, the number of students enrolled in Portuguese universities grew faster than in any other European Union country, increasing by an annual average of almost 6% compared no nearly 3% for the pre-enlargement EU (of 15 countries).
Our human Capital
Portugal has now 35% of its 20 year-old youngsters enrolled in higher education levels. Public policies are investing additional 100 million euro to qualify the current workforce, stimulating the upgrade of their qualifications to the highest levels. Public policies and incentives are also encouraging coimpanies to hire PhD graduates.
Various steps have been taken to upgrade the academic and professional experience of the Portuguese workforce over the years. Consequently, Portugal has increased the age of obligatory schooling and developed a program of international cooperation between top-level international schools and Portuguese universities.
Scientific work has also been boosted. Portuguese institutions produced more than 8,852 scientific papers in 2010 compared with only a couple of hundred in 1981. In 2001. Portugal joined the restricted group of “countries of excellence” that contribute to the top 1% of the world’s most highly cited scientific publications.
Portugal has today a strong pool of workforce with high level of education in a wide range of fields, especially in Business and Administration, with high motivation and adaptability. Although we have a highly qualified and motivated workforce, our wages continue to be competitive when compared to various other EU countries.
The Portuguese workforce is particulary "language skilled". Forty-two per cent of the population can hold a conversation in, at least, one foreign language and 23% can do it in at least 2 languages. The most widely spoken language in the country is English followed by French and Spanish.
Key facts:
· Growing number of students enrolled in Portuguese universities
· Measures in place to keep upgrading qualifications of Portuguese workforce
· High skilled and motivated workforce with competitive wages
· Language skilled workforce
culture
Portugal has a remarkable culture and complex history. Significant cultural heritage of Portugal was inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List. Recently, in 2011 the particular genre of Portuguese music, Fado, was inscribed in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. Fado (“fate”) songs are usually linked to etnospecific emotion ‘saudade’ which cannot be translated to any language and symbolizes the melancholy, feeling of loss and nostalgia at once. The history of Fado goes to 19th century.
Portuguese literature gained international status. Here we can name Luis Vaz de Camões (1524–1580), the greatest Portuguese poet, who wrote the epic “Os Lusiadas“ (“The Lusiads“) about the Great Discoveries, glorifying Vasco de Gama journeys. The major lyric poet was Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935), a literary genius whose work has been published in English as well. He was using more than 80 heteronyms, among them Ricardo Reis, Alvaro de Campos, Alberto Caeiro, and Bernardo Soares, which helped him to express himself in different styles. Another greatest Portuguese author Jose Saramago (1920–2010) became Nobel Prize-winner.
Portuguese culture is represented on world’s top-level in various genres of art: cinema, music, literature, applied arts (the famous ceramic tiles ‘azulejo’) and many others.
