The Rector of the University of the Azores (UAc) admitted to fearing for the future of the University of the Azores due to the new financing model for higher education institutions and the Republic’s defaults.

“From the moment that the strangulation is continued and that there is a clear limitation to our growth capacity and if there were still aggravating factors of this situation, it is natural that the sustainable future of the university is in question,” said Susana Mira Leal at the end of a meeting with the deputy to the Assembly of the Republic Paulo Moniz, who represents the PSD political party (one of the parties in the governing collation in the Azores, but in the opposition in the national assembly).

Talking to journalists, the Rector said she was apprehensive about the new financing model for higher education institutions, considering that the proposal does not consider the Azorean academy’s specificities.

“We are in August, in a complex and demanding phase of discussion of the new financing model for higher education institutions – universities and polytechnics – our analysis of the model and the simulations we have done make us very apprehensive about what the future will be,” she said.

According to the Rector, in this new model, “there is no consideration for the specificities of UAc”, nor does it reflect “what have been our legitimate claims and the effective needs of the institution to be able not only to continue to function with quality,” as well as “to be able to grow,” which “is a design of the university” and an objective of the region and the country. “

On the other hand, Susana Mira Leal recalled that the institution continues to wait for the national government to accept the commitments already made.

“The commitments made by the Government of the Republic to the university have not been fulfilled. This year we have not yet had any sign of signing the planned program contract, “she said, adding:” in fact, I have not even had any response from the minister to the proposal I presented to her to update the program contract. “

At the end of yesterday’s meeting, the deputy to the Assembly of the Republic Paulo Moniz, also reiterated the warning about the “underfunding” of the UAc, stating that the institution continues to be “negatively discriminated” by the Government of the Republic.

“Today, I left the meeting even more concerned than  when I entered,” said the Social Democrat, arguing that “UAc continues to be negatively discriminated against by the Republic, which is worrying, given its role in educating the Region’s students.”

Paulo Moniz even considered that “the new models that the PS government in Lisbon is preparing for the financing of Higher Education do not foretell a bright future for our University,” recalling that just recently questioned in the debate on the State of the Nation, the Prime Minister on the subject, “not having, as you know, obtained any response.”

The deputy also said he had invited “the Rector to visit Parliament in September, accompanied by the Rector of the University of Madeira, and go before the Committee on Science and Higher Education to present this entire dilemma.”

By journalist Ana Carvalho Melo in the newspaper, Açoriano Oriental, Paulo Simões -director.

It was translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Medial Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.

California State University, Fresno, has a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the Azores.