The Algarve is set to receive a significant boost in professional and technical education, with €10 million being allocated from the Algarve 2030 European funds programme.
Announced this Monday by the Algarve’s Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), this investment aims to support Professional Higher Technical Courses (CTeSP) across the region, particularly in fields such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).
This initiative comes as part of a broader strategy to address the lower-than-average higher education enrolment rate in the Algarve. According to the CCDR, only 25.4% of the region’s population is enrolled in higher education, compared to the national average of 42.8% (when taking into account citizens of the “normal age group” for attending higher education). The Algarve 2030 programme seeks to close this gap by expanding access to professional and technical courses, offering more opportunities for students to pursue higher education.
“These funds represent a significant portion of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) dedicated to improving qualifications through higher education training,” said the CCDR in a press release. The goal is to enhance the availability of mid-level and higher qualifications through partnerships with local employers in both the public and private sectors.
