Your doctoral thesis focused on the economics of higher education. What sparked such a specific interest in the field of economics? What key milestones would you highlight in your academic and scientific journey since then?
My interest in the economics of higher education (HE) began during my Master's at Nova SBE, where I realized the importance of education within public policy. Although it’s a niche within economics, HE significantly impacts various decision-making stakeholders and is crucial for national development. Since then, my academic journey has been marked by experiences in different countries, including completing my doctorate at the University of Nottingham, international collaborations, and the publication of scientific papers, such as a recent one in the Journal of Human Capital. I would highlight the funding received from FCT, which supported research projects focusing on inequalities and HE efficiency. Additionally, collaborations with international organizations, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have been fundamental in deepening my work and contributing to the analysis of global educational policies.

Your journey has included numerous international experiences, such as in the UK and Spain. In your view, what good practices observed abroad could be implemented in Portugal in terms of economic policies for higher education?
My experiences in the UK and Spain revealed a range of good practices that could be adopted in Portugal within the scope of HE economic policies. In the UK, the annual assessment of students and graduates (Student Academic Experience Survey and Graduate Outcomes) is conducted centrally and is considered in the evaluation of higher education institutions (HEIs). Moreover, the funding of HEIs depends on research quality, assessed through the Research Excellence Framework (REF), and teaching quality, evaluated via the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). Although these systems are not perfect and face criticisms, they encourage HEIs to focus on research and teaching quality as well as graduate success and employability by aligning educational offerings with market needs. In Spain, I would highlight the investment in applied research and the promotion of international cooperation networks. Another crucial aspect is the emphasis on research quality. In these countries, research funding and faculty hiring prioritize the quality of publications, clearly penalizing those who publish in predatory journals, such as many MDPI publications. Clarivate and other institutions have already started implementing measures to disregard such publications. In Portugal, incentives should promote excellent research, with FCT playing an essential role in fostering policies that value quality over quantity in publications, in line with the principles of the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

Throughout your academic career, you've focused on areas such as the economics of education, labour, and applied microeconometrics. What is your perspective on the current role of economics in understanding education’s broader social implications, and how can research drive significant and necessary transformations?
Economics of education plays a crucial role in understanding the social implications of education as it allows us to move from correlational studies to causal inferences. Through econometric methods, such as counterfactual analysis, we can identify not only associations between variables but also the actual effects of educational policies. Counterfactual analysis offers the advantage of simulating alternative scenarios, enabling us to answer questions like, "What would have happened if a particular policy had not been implemented?" This approach is essential for evaluating policy impacts and eliminating biases, thereby producing more robust outcomes. By focusing on causal inferences through econometric methods, we can determine which policies are genuinely effective. As a result, research in the economics of education can drive significant transformations by informing decisions on funding, access, and quality, thus promoting a more equitable and efficient educational system. In Portugal, there is an opportunity and available data to use these tools in the formulation of public policies that reduce inequalities and increase the quality and relevance of education. However, the use of counterfactual analysis to evaluate public policies is not yet common practice in Portugal.

You study various dimensions of higher education, such as grade inflation in secondary education, university admissions, diversification of entry criteria, and student performance. Based on your research, what is the current state of education in Portugal and globally? What major economic challenges lie ahead for higher education?
Currently, the state of education, both in Portugal and worldwide, presents a complex scenario marked by significant challenges. In Portugal, grade inflation in secondary education has raised concerns about equity in university admissions, potentially undermining the democratic ideal of social justice in public HE. Diversifying entry criteria is an attempt to mitigate these inequalities, but there is still a need for greater alignment between the skills required and market demands. The major economic challenges include ensuring adequate funding for institutions, guaranteeing training that meets market demands, and promoting equitable access. Additionally, the growing importance of lifelong education requires educational systems to adapt, offering more accessible and diversified solutions. To address these challenges, research in the economics of education must continue to inform policies that ensure high-quality HE and promote social inclusion, ensuring all students have equal opportunities for success.

You are currently one of Portugal's representatives on the European Network of Graduate Tracking of the European Commission. We would like to explore the collective approaches and solutions under evaluation. What issues need urgent attention, and what solutions are already being developed?
As one of Portugal's representatives on the European Network of Graduate Tracking of the European Commission, I have closely followed collective approaches to improving graduate tracking. One of the most urgent challenges is the need for more accurate and harmonized data on graduate trajectories, an issue already highlighted by Portugal's Court of Auditors, which pointed out the lack of a common graduate follow-up survey for all HEIs. The Eurograduate 2022 survey was the first applied across all HEIs in the country, a significant step toward standardizing data collection. I advocate for the Directorate-General for Education and Science Statistics to build on this initiative by implementing an annual short survey applied to all graduates (census) in a centralized manner. Portugal has the resources to carry out such an exercise. This could be complemented every four years by a more extensive and longitudinal version of Eurograduate, providing a more detailed view of graduates' transitions and challenges in the labour market. Additionally, there is a need to strengthen collaboration between universities, employers, and governments to align educational offerings with market needs. Solutions like these are fundamental for improving the HE system, ensuring inclusion, and better preparing future generations for the demands of a constantly changing labour market.

Regarding the relationship between higher education and the labour market, would it be fair to say that today's reality is marked by greater uncertainty due to a particularly unstable socio-economic period? In your opinion, is it necessary or even essential to adapt and transform higher education to better prepare future generations?
Today's reality, marked by socio-economic uncertainty and rapid technological changes, reinforces the need for HE adaptation. In addition to preparing young people for the job market, lifelong learning and adult education are becoming increasingly essential, as highlighted by the OECD and the European Commission. However, many HEIs in Portugal still prefer, when possible, to increase places in the national access competition rather than expanding adult education, a demographic that is increasingly relevant in the current context. The growing importance of continuous education requires universities to adapt their educational offerings to new audiences, posing additional challenges, including the need to train faculty to address these realities. More flexible and modular courses, suitable for adults in retraining or skills updating, are essential to ensure the workforce remains competitive and capable of responding to future challenges. Therefore, HE must not only prepare young people but also lead the provision of continuous education, playing a crucial role in building a more adaptable and resilient society.

What major trends can already be anticipated for the near future, and how can, and should, institutions prepare for these changes?
The major trends emerging for HE include digitalisation, the growing importance of lifelong and adult education, and the internationalisation of education. HEIs should prepare by adopting strategies that promote greater flexibility, such as hybrid teaching (combining asynchronous and synchronous classes), distance learning, and the use of technology to personalize learning. A growing focus should be placed on lifelong learning, essential for workers to remain competitive. In this context, HEIs must expand their educational offerings to new audiences, such as adults undergoing retraining, a need already highlighted by the OECD and the European Commission. In recent decades, Portugal has seen the massification of HE across various study cycles. As documented in two recent reports I co-authored as part of the work of the Independent Commission for the Evaluation of the Application of the RJIES (Silva and Sarrico, 2023), Portugal has an excess of master's and doctoral programmes. At the master's level, the average dropout rate after one year is around 25%. At the doctoral level, several programmes rely on the same faculty and research units. It would be important to calculate the number of PhD students per tenured faculty member with research activity in the field when accrediting doctoral courses. There are highly specialized doctoral courses that raise questions about the future employability of their graduates, as there is a desire to promote diverse career paths for these individuals. Therefore, there is an urgent need for HEIs to reorient their resources toward more diversified and future-oriented training programmes, including modular education and professional retraining, which also require faculty training adaptation. HEIs should prioritize these new realities.

From a macro perspective, and based on your research, what policy and societal changes would you advocate for to improve the effectiveness of higher education systems in Portugal?
Based on my research, I advocate for several policy and societal changes to improve the effectiveness of the HE system in Portugal. Firstly, in line with the principles established in the DORA declaration, it is crucial to reorient funding policies by valuing quality over the quantity of publications, thus promoting excellent research. FCT can play a vital role by encouraging publications in credible journals and discouraging the use of predatory journals. Regarding the labour market, the role of polytechnics should be valued, as they make a significant contribution by developing practical programmes aligned with the economy's needs. These institutions should be central to providing quality technical training, preparing students for the immediate demands of a rapidly changing market. Additionally, rather than indiscriminately expanding doctoral education, HEIs should prioritize lifelong learning and adult retraining. Another crucial point is funding, which should not be exclusively channelled to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) areas. We have observed a reduction in support for non-STEM areas, which are equally vital for the balanced development of society. Disciplines such as social sciences, humanities, and arts play a central role in promoting a fairer, more creative, and innovative society. Finally, greater collaboration between universities, polytechnics, industry, and government is necessary to align educational offerings with market needs, using tools such as Graduate Tracking to adjust public policies effectively and ensure that the HE system contributes to Portugal's socio-economic development.

Disclaimer: The responses in this interview are individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of affiliated institutions.

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