APESP notes the significant progress made on the issue of the mandatory inclusion of a reference to the favourable opinion of the Nurses’ Association (OE) on the study cycle in the body of the Diploma or Diploma Supplement. At a meeting held on 12 November at the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES), APESP’s presentation on the subject was analysed, as was the legal opinion prepared by the services of this body, demonstrating that there was no legal basis to support the OE’s requirement, nor to give it binding force. It was proposed that the OE consult the records on the SIMGES platform. This meeting was promoted by the Secretary of State for Higher Education, Cláudia Sarrico, and attended by the Director-General for Higher Education, Joaquim Mourato, APESP (represented by board members José João Mendes and José Manuel Silva, legal advisor António Barros, and Elsa Gonçalves, from ESEnSFM), representatives from CCISP, A3ES and the OE. APESP emphasises the importance of this institutional clarification, which also addressed:
- the difficulties arising from the reorganisation of maternity and obstetrics services;
- the recurring problems of discrimination against students from private HEIs in accessing internships – with the Director-General noting his willingness to refer the matter to the minister responsible.
