The role of subnational governments in adult skills systems: Portugal

This country note provides an overview of the governance of the adult skills system in Portugal. It is part of an extensive review of all 38 OECD countries. The main findings across all countries are summarised in the OECD policy paper The Role of Subnational Governments in Adult Skills Systems. Representatives from the Portuguese Government reviewed the country note in March 2025 and it was published in June 2025.

Table 1. Overall governance and expenditure structure

Governance structure	Levels of governance	% of general government expenditure at the subnational level
Unitary	National: o Estado Regional: Regiões autónomas (2) Local: Municípios (308) Sub-municipal level: parishes (freguesias) (3 091)	13.6%
How is the adult skills system governed?
Centralised ✓	Combined system -	Decentralised

Note: For more information on the definitions of the governance models, please see (OECD, 2025[1]).

Source: (OECD/UCLG, 2022[2])

How is the adult skills system governed?

Portugal has a relatively centralised governance structure for the adult skills system. The national government sets the legislative framework across all policy areas and is responsible for strategy setting, intelligence, funding and, to some extent, implementation. Direct delivery across all policy areas takes place at the local level. The two regional governments of the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores have their own competencies and responsibilities across all policy areas.

• Vocational Education and Training (VET) is governed by the national government. Legislation is the joint responsibility of three ministries and is funded partly by the national government and partly by municipalities. Higher VET (HVET) policies are set and funded at the national level, while implementation and delivery take place locally. Social partners participate in the system as direct providers of training and participate in agencies.

• Implementation and funding for Continuing Education and Training (CET) is the responsibility of the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional - IEFP) and is delivered to workers, job seekers, and employers at the local level.

• Adult education (AE) policies are set at the national level and focus on employment rather than in-formal and lifelong learning. The Qualifica programme is central to the system and is delivered at the local level in the Specialised Adult Qualification Centres/Qualifica Centres (Centros Qualifica).

• Active labour market policies (ALMPs) are designed, funded, and implemented at the national level by the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional), which is the Portuguese Public Employment Service (PES). Delivery happens at the regional and local levels through a deconcentrated network of regional delegations, local employment centres, and employment and vocational training centres.

Table 2. Allocation of responsibilities across policy areas and levels of government

		Strategy	Intelligence	Implementation	Funding	Delivery
Policy area	National level
	VET, HVET	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
	CET	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
	AE	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
	ALMP	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
	Regional level
	VET, HVET	-	-	-	-	-
	CET	-	-	-	-	-
	AE	-	-	-	-	-
	ALMP	-	-	-	-	-
	Local level
	VET, HVET	-		✓	✓	✓
	CET	-		-	-	-
	AE	-		-	-	-
	ALMP	-		-	-	-

Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No

Note: Colour code: Dark blue → government/national/subnational agencies, Green → social partners, Lighter blue → private actors and education providers, Yellow → Expert councils/foundations/associations/research institutions. For more information, please see (OECD, 2025[1])

The Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores have their own competencies and responsibilities across all policy areas. Responsibilities pertaining to them are thus not reflected in the table.

Infographic 1. Overview of the adult skills system

Note: Color code: Dark blue → government/national/subnational agencies, Green → social partners, Lighter blue → private actors and education providers, Yellow → Expert councils. For more information, please see OECD 2025 (XXX) and (XXX)

Source: OECD compilation based on available information.

Stakeholders and responsibilities at the national level

National ministries hold strategic responsibility for VET, HVET, CET, AE and ALMPs and benefit from intelligence and advice from various councils with the participation of social partners. In contrast, national agencies are responsible for implementing policies.

• Governance of the VET system is the joint responsibility of three ministries; the Ministry of Education (Ministério da Educação), the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (Ministério do Trabalho, Solidariedade e Segurança Social), and the Ministry of Economy (Ministério da Economia) which all oversee the acitivites of National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education (Agência Nacional para a Qualificação e o Ensino Profissiona - ANQEP). ANQEP is the national agency responsible for implementing VET and AE policies and distributing funding in the systems. The agency also has general skills in forecasting and policy responsibilities. The agency is an innovative example of a whole-of-government approach to the governance of VET policies, as it is jointly overseen by multiple ministries, includes social partner participation, and cooperates with expert councils in its activities.

• In the VET system, the national government benefits from skills forecasting, labour market information and advice from the Sector Councils for Qualification (Conselhos Setoriais para a Qualificação) and the Industrial Relations Centre (Centro de Relações Laborais), both of which social partners are represented.

• The Co-ordinating Council of the System for the Anticipation of Skills Needs (Conselho Coordenador do Sistema de Antecipação de Necessidades de Competências) is composed of, among others, the National Institute for Employment and Vocational Training, ANQEP, and several ministries. It contributes to the development of AE and the anticipation of skills needs.

• The Institute for Employment and Vocational Training is the Portuguese PES responsible for implementing ALMPs and delivering policies in local and regional branches. The agency implements VET policies at the national level and delivers VET in regional delegations, along with local employment and professional formation centres and employment centers.

Table 3. Stakeholders and responsibilities at the national level

Name of institution	Responsibilities					Organisation type	Areas	Description
	Strategy	Intelligence	Implementation	Funding	Delivery
Ministry of Education (Ministério da Educação)	✓	✓	✓	✓	-	Ministry	VET AE	The Ministry is partly responsible for the VET and AE systems. In the field of VET, the Ministry designs the curriculum, provides quality assurance, decides on secondary-level vocational programs in VET schools, and oversees the delivery of secondary-level education, including VET provision in public and private schools. The Ministry is also partly responsible for overseeing the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and the Qualifica centres.
Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior)	✓	✓	✓	✓	-	Ministry	HVET CET	The Ministry oversees higher education policies, including post-secondary and non-tertiary courses, with the aim of improving specialised technological training. Furthermore, the Ministry sets the strategic framework for developing CET and aims to improve the opportunities for lifelong learning. The Ministry is responsible for overseeing courses offered by higher education institutions and polytechnic institutions providing technical and professional training (HVET and CET). The Ministry is also responsible for establishing 365 Specialised Technology Centres (CTE), which will aim to update the delivery of HVET and provide new and innovative vocational training.
Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security (Ministério do Trabalho, Solidariedade e Segurança Social)	✓	✓	✓	✓	-	Ministry	VET CET AE ALMP	The Ministry is responsible for the legislative framework, political measures, and implementation of ALMPs and overseeing the national PES. In upper-secondary level VET, the Ministry oversees VET centres and the providers that provide apprenticeship training in the VET system. The Ministry is also responsible for accreditation and quality assurance for training providers in VET, CET, and AE fields.
Ministry of Economy (Ministério da Economia)	✓				-	Ministry	VET AE	The Ministry participates in the joint oversight of the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity, and Social Security. The Ministry also participates in the strategic and legislative framework in VET and AE.
Institute of Employment and Vocational Training - IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional)	-	✓	✓	✓	✓	National agency	VET CET ALMP	The IEFP is the national public employment service and its mission is to promote the creation and quality of employment and combat unemployment by implementing active employment policies, namely vocational training. It operates under the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security and has a deconcentrated, flexible and close-knit organisational structure that includes various regional and local services. It is responsible for promoting and developing vocational training measures through the IEFP's network of centres (direct management centres and participated management centres) or external training entities funded by the IEFP. The state budget and EU funds mainly finance its activities. The IEFP promotes the educational and professional qualification of young people and adults and carries out vocational training for the unemployed and the employed, tailored to people's needs and to modernising and developing the economic fabric. To promote certified skills and respond to the needs of employers, the IEFP organises tailor-made training programmes for workers, with the aim of improving their skills and retraining them. Employers can contribute and participate in specific programmes that offer financial incentives or support for training initiatives.
National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education - ANQEP (Agência Nacional para a Qualificação e o Ensino Profissiona)	-	✓	✓	✓	✓	National agency	VET AE	The agency is partly responsible for implementing VET and AE policies. It reports to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security and the Ministry of Economy. Its responsibilities include overseeing the adult qualifications centres and coordinating the delivery of VET and AE policies. It develops and manages the National System for Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences, coordinates the activities of the Sector Councils for Qualifications, and benefits from inputs from the councils, including for skills anticipation activities. The agency issues national and regional priorities for providing qualifications at the secondary education level and is responsible for the continuous development of the National Catalogue of Qualifications. Social partners participate as members of the general council of the ANQEP and cooperate closely with the agency in skills anticipation. Finally, the agency allocates funding in the VET system.
Sector Councils for Qualification (Conselhos Setoriais para a Qualificação)	-	✓	-	-	-	Expert council	VET	The Sector Council for Qualification is a network of 18 councils with members from social partners, businesses and business groups, and representatives of educational providers, particularly those with sectoral or regional specialisation. Their main task is to identify essential qualifications for sectors of the economy as a response to today’s and future labour market challenges and to contribute to updating the national catalogue of VET qualifications. The councils contribute to the National Qualifications System, the VET system's legal framework covering both young people and adults. The councils are funded by and collaborate with the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education.
Co-ordinating Council of the System for the Anticipation of Skills Needs (Conselho Coordenador do Sistema de Antecipação de Necessidades de Competências)	-	✓	-	-	-	Expert council	AE	The council's main responsibility is to support the development and implementation of Portugal’s system of skills assessment and anticipation in the adult learning system. The council aims to ensure collaboration between relevant actors in the skills system to identify and address qualification requirements. The council members are comprised of representatives from ANQEP, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, the Ministry of Economy, IEFP, employers, and social partners.
The Industrial Relations Centre (Centro de Relações Laborais)		✓	-	-	-	Social partner	VET	The centre is composed of representatives of the national Government, the confederations of employers, and the trade unions and aims to improve the interaction between these stakeholders in VET. The centre develops and disseminates reports on VET and the labour market.

Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No

Source: OECD compilation based on (European Commission, 2019[3]), (European Commission, Eurydice, 2024[4]), (Cedefop, 2024[5]), (ANQEP, 2024[6]), (OECD, 2015[7]), (The Industrial Relations Centre, 2022[8]), (Cedefop, ReferNet, 2025[9]), (BridgeIn Medium, 2023[10]), (EAEA - European Association for the Education of Adults, 2023[11]), (DGES, 2020[12]), (OECD, 2020[13]), (European Commission, 2025[14])

Stakeholders and responsibilities at the regional level

Portugal has no regional governmental level. The only exception is the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira (Região Autónoma dos Açores, Região Autónoma da Madeira), in which the respective governments are responsible for defining policies in the adult skills system.

• The Institute for Employment and Vocational Training has five regional delegations that promote the implementation of active employment policies at regional level, with the appropriate adaptations to the regional specificities of the employment market, the productive fabric, people and organisations.

Table 4. Stakeholders and responsibilities at the regional level

Name of institution	Responsibilities					Organisation type	Areas	Description
	Strategy	Intelligence	Implementation	Funding	Delivery
The Institute for Employment and Vocational (IEFP) Training – Regional delegations	-	✓	-	-	✓	National agency	VET ALMP	The IEFP has five regional delegations that promote the implementation of active employment policies at regional level, with the appropriate adaptations to the regional specificities of the employment market, the productive fabric, people and organisations. The regional delegations manage and control the work of the local units and diagnose employment and vocational training needs in their territorial area of operation.
The Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira (Região Autónoma dos Açores, Região Autónoma da Madeira)	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Subnational government	VET HVET CET AE ALMP	The Autonomous Regions have their own regional government and set their own legislative framework and policies across all policy areas. This includes the implementation and delivery of services to the citizens of the regions. The regional authorities set the strategies and are responsible for regional skills anticipation and forecasting. The regions have established their respective agencies, observatories, and operators to deliver services to the citizens. This includes, e.g., the Azores Training Centre, a new public training service that delivers public services such as vocational training, language courses, and qualification and certification in the region.

Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No

Source: OECD compilation based on (OECD, 2015[7]), (Azores Government, 2024[15])

Stakeholders and responsibilities at the local level

Municipalities (Municípios) constitute the local government in Portugal and play a role in implementing HVET policies, funding VET policies, and, more generally, adapting adult skills delivery to community needs. Furthermore, HVET, CET, AE, and ALMPs are delivered through various providers at the local level.

• Municipalities cooperate with the national government to establish Specialised Technology Centres as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The centres will be established in local vocational schools to deliver HVET, with a final target of establishing 365 centres by December 2025.

• Public and private schools operate locally and provide VET. The Ministry of Education oversees the schools, and provision is developed in cooperation with social partners, with the involvement of employers.

• Initial and continuing vocational training activities are carried out in the IEFP's network of centres (direct management centres and participated management centres) and in external training entities funded by the IEFP, intending to qualify people, promote employment, and enhance companies and regional and local socio-economic development. The IEFP's local units implement the policies and programmes defined by the IEFP at the local level, ensuring that employment and vocational training actions are adapted to local and regional specificities.

• AE policies and provisions in Portugal are focused primarily on the skills needed for the labour market, while non-formal adult learning activities and provisions remain limited. The Qualifica Centres operate locally, including in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, and counted 313 centres in 2023. Their main task is to recognise prior learning and provide career and education guidance.

• The adult education providers include public upper secondary schools, private schools, vocational schools, vocational training centres, and other certified bodies.

Table 5. Stakeholders and responsibilities at the local level

Name of institution	Responsibilities					Organisation type	Areas	Description
	Strategy	Intelligence	Implementation	Funding	Delivery
Municipalities (Municípios)	-	-	✓	✓	-	Subnational government	VET HVET	Municipalities cooperate with the national government to implement VET and HVET policies. This includes, for example, the establishment of Specialised Technology Centres. Municipalities also contribute to the funding of VET programmes delivered at the local level.
Public and private VET schools (Escolas Profissionais)	-	-	-	-	✓	Education provider	VET	Public and private VET schools operate locally across the country under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and in cooperation with local employers. They offer professional courses and access to workplace training.
Universities and polytechnic schools (Universidade, Institutos Politécnicos, Escolas Politécnicas)	-	-	-	-	✓	Education provider	HVET CET	These institutions are overseen and funded by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Higher Education and offer HVET to students, including general and scientific training, technical training, and on-the-job training (e.g., apprenticeships). Some of the Polytechnic schools are private providers of HVET and rely on tuition fees and private investments.
Specialised adult qualification centres/Qualifica Centres (Centros Qualifica)	-	-	✓	-	✓	Education provider	VET AE	The centres’ tasks include, among other things, validation and certification of prior learning experience, counselling, guidance, and referral to education, e.g., VET. The centres specialise in adult qualification and promote lifelong learning. They operate under the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security Ministry, and the National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education. The centres are established to promote digital and literacy competencies and link training with labour market needs. They are established by either public or private providers, and thus operated by various stakeholders that include local authorities, various schools, including public/private vocational schools, direct or partial management by employment and vocational training centres, as well as a large group of other bodies, e.g. private companies, training companies, not-for-profit bodies. The centres target low-skilled or unemployed adults (18 or over), and exceptionally, the NEETs (not in education, employment or training).
Specialised Technology Centres (Centros Tecnológicos Especializados)	-	-	-		✓	Education provider	HVET	These providers operate in a local network to deliver HVET in municipalities and will be established in existing local schools. The national government funds them through the Recovery and Resilience Programme. The centres aim to provide skilled workers for sectors requiring highly qualified labour and update training provisions to align with the economy's changing needs. A target has been set to establish 365 centres by December 2025.
Other private training providers	-	-	-	-	✓	Education provider	VET CET	In addition to the direct management centres, the IEFP's network of centres includes participated management centres set up under protocols between the IEFP and the social partners (Employers‘, Trade Unions’ and Professional Associations), such as Citeforma. These centres have a marked sectoral vocation (construction, metallurgy, metalworking, cork, food, fashion, commerce, etc.) and complement and reinforce the work of the IEFP's local units. The IEFP also lists external training organisations (which are private). These collaborate with the IEFP in developing their training activities and are funded and supported by the IEFP to carry out initial and continuing vocational training.
IEFP employment and vocational training centres, and employment centres (Centros de Emprego e Formação Profissional do IEFP, Centros de Emprego do IEFP)	-	-	-	-	✓	Education provider	VET CET ALMP	The IEFP has 54 local units (30 employment and vocational training centres, 23 employment centres and 1 vocational training and rehabilitation centre). These local units implement active employment policies and offer various initial and continuing vocational training programmes and measures, both for the unemployed and for employees, to raise people's qualification levels and improve their skills and employability conditions. The local units support and encourage the implementation of vocational training, job creation, self-employment and enterprise programmes. They participate in detecting local training and professional integration needs and carry out training actions to meet the needs of local or regional employers. Employers can contribute to and participate in specific programmes that offer financial incentives or support for training initiatives.

Legend: ✓ = Yes; - = No

Source: OECD compilation based on (Cedefop, 2017[16]), (Unesco - Institute for Lifelong Learning, 2025[17]), (citeforma, 2025[18]), (Qualifica, 2025[19])

References

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[15] Azores Government (2024), Azores Training Centre promotes innovative, modern and integrated public training and qualification service, https://portal.azores.gov.pt/en/web/comunicacao/rss/-/asset_publisher/0WEMSOVhE63P/content/id/15043880?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

[10] BridgeIn Medium (2023), Labour Law in Portugal: What is Mandatory Professional Training?, https://bridgein.medium.com/labour-law-in-portugal-what-is-mandatory-professional-training-d1a6431efd30.

[5] Cedefop (2024), Sectoral Councils for Qualifications, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/matching-skills/all-instruments/sectoral-councils-qualifications.

[16] Cedefop (2017), Recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC) – IEFP / Qualifica Centres, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/pt_case_study_summary_ok.pdf.

[9] Cedefop, ReferNet (2025), DGERT, https://www.refernet.pt/en/dgert.

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[11] EAEA - European Association for the Education of Adults (2023), Non-formal adult learning in Portugal ‘struggling to survive’, https://countryreport.eaea.org/portugal/Portugal%202023/Non-formal%20adult%20learning%20in%20Portugal%20%E2%80%98struggling%20to%20survive%E2%80%99.

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[4] European Commission, Eurydice (2024), Distribution of responsibilities, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/portugal/distribution-responsibilities.

[20] European Commission, Eurydice (2023), 8. Adult education and training, https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/netherlands/adult-education-and-training.

[1] OECD (2025), “From national to local: Exploring the role of subnational governments in adult skills systems across OECD countries”, OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Papers, No. 2025/XX, OECD Publishing, Paris.

[13] OECD (2020), Strengthening the Governance of Skills Systems: Lessons from Six OECD Countries, OECD Skills Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3a4bb6ea-en.

[7] OECD (2015), OECD Skills Strategy Diagnostic Report: Portugal 2015, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264300279-en.

[2] OECD/UCLG (2022), Country Profiles of the World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment., https://www.sng-wofi.org/country-profiles/portugal.html.

[19] Qualifica (2025), Portal Qualifica, https://www.qualifica.gov.pt/#/.

[8] The Industrial Relations Centre (2022), EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING 2022 ANNUAL REPORT, https://en.crlaborais.pt/documents/194426/494384/EMPLOYMENT+AND+TRAINING+REPORT+2022+%28Executive+Summary%29/c6f8c046-cd45-4557-babd-ce33b41d13fb.

[17] Unesco - Institute for Lifelong Learning (2025), Recognition, Validation and Accreditation in Portugal, https://www.uil.unesco.org/en/articles/recognition-validation-and-accreditation-portugal.

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