- 2020Approved/Agreed
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
Digital transition of the economy is one of the priorities of the country's development strategy. In the 2021-27 programming period and the framework of the new EU cohesion policy, Portugal is planning to allocate considerable funds in this direction.
Objectives
The plan will set in motion a framework of actions promoting digital transformation that focuses on citizens, companies and public administration. It includes long-term initiatives aiming to reshape the country's economic structure and public sector and measures of immediate impact.
Description
The action plan for the digital transition has three main pillars. Each one comprises three sub-pillars:
- Capacity building and digital inclusion of people
- digital education,
- professional training and reskilling,
- digital inclusion and literacy,
- Digital transformation of enterprises
- entrepreneurship and investment attraction,
- existing companies (with a focus on SMEs),
- scientific and technological knowledge transfer to the economy,
- Digitalisation of the public sector
- digital public services,
- agile and open public administration,
- connected and open local and regional administration.
The following programmes have been designed and already been carried out under the umbrella of the action plan for the digital transition:
- digitisation programme for schools;
- intensive and specialised training programme in digital skills (UPskill programme), targeting 3 000 professionals;
- digital inclusion programme, targeting one million adults;
- digital innovation hubs for entrepreneurship;
- Youth + Digital programme
Many of these actions are also under the umbrella of the National digital competences initiative e.2030, (Portugal INCoDe.2030). The action plan also includes an initiative offering the general public a lower (social) price for accessing internet services.
The action plan for the digital transition has three main pillars. Each one comprises three sub-pillars:
- Capacity building and digital inclusion of people
- digital education,
- professional training and reskilling,
- digital inclusion and literacy,
- Digital transformation of enterprises
- entrepreneurship and investment attraction,
- existing companies (with a focus on SMEs),
- scientific and technological knowledge transfer to the economy,
- Digitalisation of the public sector
- digital public services,
- agile and open public administration,
- connected and open local and regional administration.
The following programmes have been designed and already been carried out under the umbrella of the action plan for the digital transition:
- digitisation programme for schools;
- intensive and specialised training programme in digital skills (UPskill programme), targeting 3 000 professionals;
- digital inclusion programme, targeting one million adults;
- digital innovation hubs for entrepreneurship;
- Youth + Digital programme
Many of these actions are also under the umbrella of the National digital competences initiative e.2030, (Portugal INCoDe.2030). The action plan also includes an initiative offering the general public a lower (social) price for accessing internet services.
The action plan was approved on 21 April 2020. Several actions are already under way.
One of the most important actions and initiatives in the framework of the Action plan for the digital transition is the Digital training plan for teachers, which includes three phases of implementation: diagnostic phase, training the trainers phase, teacher training phase.
- Diagnostic phase
Following the creation and implementation of the action plan, the mapping of teachers' digital competence levels emerged as an unavoidable necessity. In order to achieve this, two already available resources have been utilised: the European digital competence framework for educators (DigCompEdu) and the self-assessment tool based on it (Check-in). The following authorities were involved: the Directorate General of Education, which is responsible for the planning of the initial, continuous and specialised training needs of the teaching staff; the training centres of school associations, which are responsible for the training courses at local level; and the University of Aveiro, which was responsible for the study on the level of digital skills of teachers. As a result, a report was published.
The main results are related to:
- Teacher proficiency levels and overall average scores;
- proficiency levels by areas of digital competence, age group and years of service;
- proficiency levels by recruitment group, age group and years of service.
- Training of trainers phase
Training of trainers courses with a duration of 35 hours were developed and accredited by the Conselho Científico Pedagógico de Formação Continua de Professores which is responsible for the accreditation of training providers and continuing teacher training courses and for monitoring the evaluation process of the continuing training system. It is also responsible for the accreditation of specialised training courses. Approximately 400 trainers from all regions of the country attended these courses.
A training phase for teachers (2021/22/23) foreseen under the responsibility of training centres of school clusters, started in September.
Ordinance (Portaria) No 179/2021, of 27 August 2021, created the programme, Digital skills certificate (Certificado de Competências Digitais). It targets people over 18 years old and offers 200-hour courses. aiming to raise the population's digital skills, promoting social inclusion and employability.
Another measure was the agreement of collaboration among IEFP, business associations and Portugal Digital, which extended the Programme Employment + Digital (Emprego + Digital). It intends to train 25 000 active employees in ICT. The courses last between 25 and 150 hours, and offer a qualification level 2 or 4. It is included in the Recovery and resilience plan (RRP).
This PD measure is part of the NIP under the umbrella of the packages Green and digital transition, and Flexibility and diversification. In 2022, the following developments took place:
Within the scope of the digital schools capacity building initiative, the Directorate-General for Education developed a set of actions, which included 5 regional events, called 'Digital schools capacity building: support and monitoring of work in progress'.
The digital innovation hubs for entrepreneurship (DIHs) were launched. These collaborative networks work as a one-stop-shop, acting as a gateway to strengthen the innovation ecosystem as they result from cooperation between several partners with complementary skills and goals at both national and regional levels. It includes specific digital competence centres with the aim of disseminating frontline digital technologies to be adopted particularly by SMEs.
In the scope of the programme more digital employment (Emprego + Digital) since December 2020 until December 2022, 28 561 active employees were trained. A new edition of programme more digital employment 2025 (Emprego + Digital 2025) was launched.
In the scope of digital inclusion for adults, the programme 'I'm Digital' (Eu Sou Digital) was created. It aims to promote the digital inclusion of info-excluded adults, aged 45+, based on a national network of young volunteers and training centres. The contents involve the creation and management of the e-mail account, the ability to search online, the consultation and use of digital public services, access to services such as home banking or access to social networks. At the end of the session, the adult will do a practical exercise that will grant an EUSOUDIGITAL Certificate.
From the start of the +CO3SO Digital Programme, 4 923 new jobs were created. The programme aims at the reskilling (intensive training from three to six months), of workers in ICT activities and their establishment in the country's interior regions, contributing to reducing regional asymmetries and increasing the competitiveness of the different regions.
From the start of the Digital Skills Certificate programme until December 2022, 19 826 trainees were covered.
In 2023, the EUSOUDIGITAL programme was recognised with the seal "an INCoDe.2030 action" in the area of inclusion. In this year, there were around 255 EUSOUDIGITAL Centres across the country, a national network of 6 500 mentors and 170 public-private partnerships. The programme contributed to the digital training of 13 000 adults.
European Schoolnet carried out the study 'Portugal's digital transition strategy for education', with the following findings being highlighted:
- through the implementation of the action plan for the digital transition, Portugal has made significant progress in supporting schools to integrate digital education;
- a very large number (about 70%) of teacher trainers and teachers have been trained - and some are still being trained - in a 'pedagogy first' use of technology, and their effective progress has been demonstrated according to the DigCompEdu framework tools;
- a large majority of schools' groups (806 out of 809 clusters) have developed their digital strategic plan and detailed concrete actions, many of which have already been implemented;
- innovative digital learning resources are still being developed.
By September, 33 556 trainees were enrolled in the Digital skills certificate programme.
Bodies responsible
- Presidency of the Council of Ministers [Presidência do Conselho de Ministros]
- Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Administrative Modernisation (Until April 2024)
- Secretary of State for Modernisation and Digitalisation
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
- Adult learners
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
- Unemployed and jobseekers
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Adult educators
Entities providing VET
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
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 to the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
Modernising VET infrastructure
This thematic category looks at how VET schools and companies providing VET are supported to update and upgrade their physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, including digital and green technologies, so that learners in all VET programmes and specialities have access to state-of-the-art equipment and are able to acquire relevant and up-to-date vocational and technical skills and competences. Modernising infrastructure in remote and rural areas increases the inclusiveness of VET and LLL.
This thematic sub-category focuses on establishing and upgrading to state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, equipment and technology, such as computers, hardware, connectivity and good broadband speed that should ensure quality and inclusive VET provision, especially in blended and virtual modes. It also includes specific measures to remove the digital divide, e.g. supporting geographically remote or rural areas to ensure social inclusion through access to such infrastructure for learning and teaching. It also includes support measures for learners from socially disadvantaged backgrounds to acquire the necessary equipment.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET as a driver for innovation and growth preparing for digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Action plan for the digital transition: Portugal. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/39096