In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State of the Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes, with knowledge of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the CRCPE, which belongs to the Council of Portuguese Communities (CCP), begins by praising the role of the Universidade Aberta.
"It is the only public higher education institution that allows for fully organized distance learning. The Portuguese Communities are included in this project to such an extent that students have the possibility of taking the exams in person in Portuguese diplomatic facilities that are spread around the world," reads the letter.
The CRCPE mentions, however, that it was "recently alerted to an apparent discrimination in the tuition system of the Universidade Aberta towards Portuguese living abroad".
"For each curricular unit, the University charges 120 euros to a Portuguese living outside Portugal (and outside the other Portuguese-speaking countries - PLOP) and 69.66 euros to those residing in Portugal or to those who are residents or nationals of all other PLOPs," it explains.
The Council gives an example: "In the first year of the history course, a Portuguese living in France will pay 1200 euros, while a Brazilian living in France will pay just under 700 euros. And that same amount of 700 euros would also be paid by a Swede living in Angola".
"The Universidade Aberta thus offers advantageous financial conditions for more than 270 million people: residents in Portugal, residents and nationals of other PLOPs, but does not include the five million Portuguese and Luso-descendants living abroad," he laments.
For the CRCPE, the situation creates "economic obstacles to the registration of Portuguese Communities at the Universidade Aberta (a difference of more than 500 euros per academic year)".
But more: "We are facing a situation in which a Portuguese resident abroad is subjected to worse treatment by his country of origin than a non-national citizen who is not residing in Portugal".
The Lusa agency has requested a clarification from Universidade Aberta about this situation and is still waiting for a response, as is the State Secretariat of the Portuguese Communities.
