Education and Training Projects Undergraduate Programs in ICT Undergraduate Programs in ICT
In 2009/2010 about 9,865 students enrolled for the first time in Higher Education undergraduate ICT programmes, 52% more than in 2005/2006, an increase that was almost the double of that observed in all areas (27%).
In the 2009/2010, 204 initial Higher Education programmes (Bologna 1st cycle) in ICT areas were in operation at universities and polytechnics, 135 in public schools and 69 in private or cooperative education.
The number of students enrolled in ICT programmes grew steadily from 1999/2000 to 2002/2003 (+27% at the end than at the beginning of this period), decreased from 2002/2003 to 2005/2006 (20%), grew again from 2005/2006 to 2008/2009 (+55%), and decreased slightly in 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 (-2%), trends that though with different values, were also observed across all areas higher education. The percentage of students in ICT degree programmes in the total number of students enrolled in a first degree programme grew steadily throughout the last decade, from 8% in 1999/2000 to 12% in 2009/2010.
International partnerships established after 2006 to reinforce Knowledge Networks, in particular with Carnegie Mellon University and MIT, initiated a movement to modernize curricula and teaching methods in the main ICT university courses which is to be continued.
In 2006, it was initiated a policy of opening Higher Education to new population groups, particularly to people older than the usual age of completion of secondary education, and of opening programmes offered at times out of the usual working periods, focusing predominantly in polytechnics. This policy for Higher Education has attracted a high number of employed students, and had a visible impact in ICT areas.