The discussion phase of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PPR), put out for public discussion by the Portuguese government, is open until 1 March.

In order to debate this plan, the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRUP) will hold a public and online session on 22 February. 

The debate will be attended by the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, the European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira, and Lino Fernandes and António Costa Silva, 

It should be recalled that the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities has already issued two positions regarding the impact on universities of both the PRR and the Portugal 2030 strategy: 

Learn more about PRR in Recuperar Portugal

The Universities that integrate CRUP consider that the risk of COVID-19 contagion in their respective academic communities can be considered controlled, due to the containment measures they have taken throughout 2020 and the way they have managed to reconcile face-to-face operation and safety in their respective communities. 

As a result of the experience acquired and the measures taken since the beginning of the crisis, the level of risk and the degree of preparedness of Higher Education Institutions in the face of the pandemic has proven to be fundamentally different from that in other sectors of society.

On the other hand, at this time of the year and as foreseen in the respective academic calendars, the classroom activity at Universities is already residual, as students are entering an assessment period. This is a critical phase of their academic career, but where the risk of contagion is by no means higher.

Considering the level of risk existing in universities, the way these institutions have fought and dealt with pandemic risk, as well as the importance of maintaining face-to-face evaluations, including in areas where face-to-face is indispensable, CRUP considers that the teaching and evaluation activity should continue for now face-to-face.

Aware of a highly variable reality, CRUP will continue to closely monitor the situation and expresses its full readiness to adjust the measures it recommends according to what the situation may require.