The study on the Impact of the University of the Azores (UAc) on the Ecosystem of the Autonomous Region of the Azores revealed the significant impact of the University of the Azores (UAc) on the region. Between 2014 and 2023, it graduated more than 5,000 students and achieved a 92% employability rate, with 97% securing employment within six months of completing their studies. The UAc accounted for 60% of regional R&D expenditure in 2023 and collaborated with 121 international entities. The economic impact between 2018 and 2024 was €435 million in Gross Value Added (GVA), 69% of which was in the Azores. Social support is also noteworthy, with 36% of students receiving scholarships and a significant increase in the availability of university accommodation.

The study was presented in the UAc’s Aula Magna by the consulting firm Ernst & Young, introduced by Ana Caetano, at an event attended by institutional representatives, academics, community partners, and public figures.

Based on quantitative and qualitative data, the study provides an in-depth picture of the evolution and transformative role that the UAc has played over the last decade, highlighting its contributions to higher education, human capital qualification, scientific and technological production, economic and social impact, and the strengthening of the regional community’s well-being.

According to Ana Caetano, the analysis highlights not only the university’s current value, but also its potential for growth and deepening its impact. “The impact that the university has on the region is clear. There is still room to grow and consolidate this role, especially when it comes to attracting talent and innovation,” said the EY representative during the presentation.

The University of the Azores has been a pillar of the higher education system in the region. Between 2014 and 2023, it graduated more than 5,000 students (5,174). Currently, it offers 67 courses—23 of which are bachelor’s degrees or preparatory courses—and has 2,931 students enrolled as of 2024. The teaching staff consists of 264 professors, and the total number of employees at the institution is 496. The university operates in three centers (Ponta Delgada, Angra do Heroísmo, and Horta), with a network of university residences that, in 2024, will house 549 students, a significantly higher number than in 2015 (214 students).

The study also reveals that, despite fluctuations in student numbers over the decade, UAc maintains high standards of quality. The average entry grade is 14—above the national average—and 75% of students achieve grades above this threshold. The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH) has the highest number of students, with a 5% increase over the last decade. However, there has been a drop in the percentage of Azorean students choosing UAc as their first choice: from 90% in 2014/15 to 77% in 2023/24. Between the academic years 2021/22 and 2023/24, less than 40% of Azorean students entering higher education for the first time chose the UAc.

Contribution to the qualification of human resources

UAc has been responsible for training 4,000 graduates over the last ten years, out of a total of 7,600 workers with higher education in the Azores, representing more than half of the region’s skilled workforce. The employability rate for UAc graduates in 2024 is 92%, and 97% find employment within six months of completing their studies, which proves the relevance of the training areas offered and their connection to the regional labor market.

The distribution of graduates by area of specialization shows a strong focus on strategic sectors for the region: 34% in health, 15% in tourism and heritage, 10% in quality of life and social development, 9% in agriculture and agro-industry, 8% in the sea and blue growth, 7% in territory and the circular economy, 7% in the digital economy, 5% in the Atlantic and geostrategy, and 4% in the environment and climate.

Research, development, and innovation as a regional driver

Between 2014 and 2023, the UAc invested €106 million in research and development (R&D). In 2023 alone, the university’s R&D expenditure represented 60% of the regional total, 30% above the national average. This investment had a direct impact on scientific production, which grew by 25% over the past decade, with a focus on international partnerships involving 121 entities from various countries.

The UAc joined relevant European programs, such as Erasmus+, Interreg, and Horizon Europe, from which it obtained 31% of the €45 million in funding for R&D. Its academic reputation has also been consolidated globally, with rankings among the 600 best universities in the world in the field of life sciences (out of 2,100 institutions) and among the 400 best in ecology and evolution (out of a total of 3,300 universities).

Economic impact

The macroeconomic impact of the University of the Azores is significant. Between 2018 and 2024, the university generated €435 million in gross value added (GVA), of which 69% remained in the region. The average annual impact is around €62 million. For every euro of the UAc’s budget, 2.1 euros were generated in GVA at the national level, with more than two-thirds of this amount directly benefiting the Azores.

In fiscal terms, the university’s contribution to public revenue totaled 143 million euros between 2018 and 2024, with an annual average of € 20.5 million. Around 80% of this tax revenue was retained in the region.

Student consumption accounted for €98 million in the same period. In terms of employment, the UAc provided an average of 1,457 full-time jobs per year, of which 1,044 were located in the Azores, representing around 36% of the jobs created by the university. In total, €291 million was paid in salaries, with €227 million allocated to the Azores.

Social, cultural, and civic contribution

The study also highlights the importance of the UAc in promoting community well-being by strengthening social action policies, promoting inclusion programs, and engaging with the business, associative, and educational sectors. Between 2014 and 2024, there was an average annual growth rate of 21%. In 2024, 194 cooperation agreements were signed, comprising 21% with companies and business associations and 20.5% with schools. Also noteworthy is the growth in community services, which has reached €9.4 million over the last ten years, with a particular focus on services provided to the public administration, which accounts for 75% of the total.

The UAc has also been diversifying its training offer, with a 10% growth between 2019 and 2024 in short courses, summer courses, and senior, junior, and arts academies, in response to new audiences and the need for retraining and lifelong learning.

The study, promoted by the Bensaude Group in partnership with the Azorean Academy and carried out by Ernst & Young, makes it clear that the University of the Azores plays a fundamental role in the economic, social, and cultural development of the region. With a strong focus on human capital development, research, and innovation, the UAc has contributed to job creation and economic growth, as well as to the promotion of social inclusion. Despite the positive results, there is a need to strengthen the university’s development, particularly in attracting talent and maintaining strategic partnerships, to ensure an even greater impact on the future of the Azores.

Filipe Torres is a journalist for Correio dos Açores, and Natalino Viveiros is the director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.