The initiative "New Ideas for an Old Country" is launched today, on National Student Day in Portugal, and aims to mobilize all higher education students in Porto to participate in the construction of reform proposals for Portugal "in the areas of Health, Education, Economy and the State and Political System," according to a statement sent to the Lusa news agency.

Before submitting the document to parliament, the FAP wants to create "four multidisciplinary working groups" to participate in the public debate and present structural reforms for the country's economic and social growth.

Among the intervention lines identified and approved at the General Assembly, FAP proposes for the area of ​​​​Health the strengthening of the autonomy of Local Health Units (ULS), with the creation of a new model for the appointment of the ULS's administrative boards, studying the possibility of their election by the local community.

In the area of ​​Education, FAP advocates for “more autonomy for schools, involving them in the recruitment of teachers within a national framework of rules and transparency”.

In the area of ​​​​Economics, FAP suggests a “simplification of the tax system”, with a review of the IRS (Personal Income Tax) and greater predictability for companies and taxpayers.

For the area of ​​the State, the students of Porto advocate for “greater transparency in the exercise of political functions” and an “increase in the remuneration of those holding political office”.

“There is much talk about the need for change, but rarely is the concrete form discussed: how reforms should be implemented and with what objectives. Portugal doesn’t need more diagnoses; it needs answers. This is precisely where the Porto University can intervene. We are more than

80,000 students, and we want to contribute to the modernisation of the country,” says the president of FAP, Francisco Porto Fernandes, quoted in the press release.

According to FAP, the multidisciplinary work will be shared with the student associations of the Porto University and organised by thematic areas to structure the problems. They will host open sessions for the academic community to enrich the proposals with the technical knowledge of students from various undergraduate and master’s degree programs in Porto’s higher education system.

The goal is to create a final document for submission to a vote at the General Assembly and for presentation to political decision-makers and civil society.

With this initiative, FAP seeks to contribute to the country’s debate and modernisation.

Portugal is not an old country; it needs new ideas. If nothing changes, we will continue to discuss the same problems for the next 10 or 20 years. Right now, inaction is our greatest risk. It’s time to act!” said Francisco Fernandes.