- 2015Implementation
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
In the legal framework of the National qualifications system (SNQ), the National Agency for Qualification and VET (ANQEP) is described as the body responsible for identifying the priority thematic areas of VET programmes and their spatial distribution, avoiding overlaps and better addressing labour market needs.
In 2014, the System for the anticipation of qualifications needs (SANQ) was developed. It utilises systematic mechanisms, different quantitative and qualitative variables and a combination of diagnosis, forecasting and planning.
Law No 82-A/2014, which approved the major planning actions for 2015, reinforced the importance of a qualification needs diagnosis system.
Objectives
SANQ is a diagnostic tool aiming to identify qualification needs at national and regional level and to set priority levels for qualifications, which are taken into consideration when planning education and training provision and in the updating of the National catalogue of qualifications (CNQ).
Description
In 2015, SANQ was set up under a coordination council that includes ANQEP, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the Cohesion and Development Agency (AD&C) and social partners. It assesses the dynamics of the economy and the labour market, which influence the demand for skills in the short and medium term. It also gathers key information for lifelong guidance. The use of SANQ has been strengthened through the diversity of data analysed and the involvement of a significant and representative number of stakeholders at the regional and local levels.
SANQ's centrality in shaping the network of VET programmes has strengthened the relevance of qualifications with regional needs. The Intercity communities and metropolitan (CIM) areas contribute to identifying the criteria for updating the network of VET offers. This systematisation has enabled young people to find the best option for them and has adjusted the qualifications' offer to the needs of the economy and the labour market, in line with the national framework strategy for economic and social development.
The methodology established by the SANQ makes it possible to identify the relevance of each qualification and its evolution trends, setting priorities and criteria for the network of education and training provision. It influences the number and design of education and training areas, education and training offers related to level 2, 4 and 5...
In 2015, SANQ was set up under a coordination council that includes ANQEP, the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the Cohesion and Development Agency (AD&C) and social partners. It assesses the dynamics of the economy and the labour market, which influence the demand for skills in the short and medium term. It also gathers key information for lifelong guidance. The use of SANQ has been strengthened through the diversity of data analysed and the involvement of a significant and representative number of stakeholders at the regional and local levels.
SANQ's centrality in shaping the network of VET programmes has strengthened the relevance of qualifications with regional needs. The Intercity communities and metropolitan (CIM) areas contribute to identifying the criteria for updating the network of VET offers. This systematisation has enabled young people to find the best option for them and has adjusted the qualifications' offer to the needs of the economy and the labour market, in line with the national framework strategy for economic and social development.
The methodology established by the SANQ makes it possible to identify the relevance of each qualification and its evolution trends, setting priorities and criteria for the network of education and training provision. It influences the number and design of education and training areas, education and training offers related to level 2, 4 and 5 qualifications to respond to regional labour market needs. It aims to reinforce responses to sectoral, professional and territorial needs and dynamics, ensuring the alignment of vocational education and training initiatives to these needs and dynamics and prioritising emerging areas of competence.
In 2019, the regional planning involved 17 CIM areas.
On March 2020, centrally defined guidelines and criteria were issued (Dispatch No 3262-A/2020) on how the network of VET offers will be shaped. They focus on how institutions providing education and training programmes for young people (CEF), professional and specific curriculum programmes will plan and organise their provision to avoid overlaps and address regional labour market needs.
From December 2019 and throughout 2020, 19 of 23 CIM areas defined their regional qualification needs for the SANQ. They developed a regional in-depth diagnosis (Módulo de aprofundamento regional), identifying their priority education and training areas. It covered CEF programmes at EQF level 2 and professional programmes at EQF level 4 according to regional and territorial specific characteristics.
In November/December 2020, the SANQ education and training priority areas at regional level were updated in compliance with its regular update (which takes place every 3 years).
Dispatch (Despacho) No 12818/2021of 30 December, created an interministerial commission for the coordination of the education and vocational training system within the national qualifications system (SNQ). Its missions include to monitor and promote the political and strategic coordination of the VET system, specifically regarding SANQ.
Between December 2021 and February 2022, 21 of the 23 CIM (intercity communities) areas defined their regional qualifications needs for the SANQ.
The measure is part of the NIP under the package Innovation and resilience.
In April 2022, based on the SANQ baseline diagnosis, CIM (intercity communities) developed a regional in-depth diagnosis, identifying the degree of relevance of qualifications at the NUT III to support the definition of learning opportunities.
In 2023, the Basic diagnosis of the SANQ model was updated with new data on the supply of and demand for qualifications in the labour market, and long-term prospective scenarios.
Circular No 1/ANQEP/2024 was published on 8 March. It defines the methodological guidelines and criteria for planning and coordinating professional programmes for the 2024/25 school year.
Bodies responsible
- Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP)
- Cohesion and Development Agency (ADC)
- National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (ANQEP)
Target groups
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
High-quality and timely skills intelligence is a powerful policy tool, helping improve economic competitiveness and fostering social progress and equality through the provision of targeted skills training to all citizens (Cedefop, 2020). Skills intelligence is the outcome of an expert-driven process of identifying, analysing, synthesising and presenting quantitative and/or qualitative skills and labour market information. Skills intelligence draws on data from multiple sources, such as graduate tracking systems, skills anticipation mechanisms, including at sectoral and regional levels. Actions related to establishing and developing such systems fall under this thematic sub-category.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). System for the anticipation of qualifications needs: Portugal. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/pl/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28700