Environmental impact assessment in higher education and training in Portugal

Abstract

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) education has been a reality for years in many graduate and undergraduate programs worldwide. As EIA has grown as a widely accepted environmental policy tool, several professions have tried to incorporate these skills into their academic training. The main aim of this research was to assess the Portuguese profile of EIA education, measuring the degree of EIA integration in graduate and undergraduate programs. This paper intends to contribute to an understanding of the key factors related to EIA education. A national survey was conducted to obtain data on EIA education programs. More recently, many other programs, both graduate and undergraduate, have established EIA courses. New knowledge, practices, legislation and public policies are fundamental drivers of the application of EIA, which will probably continue to expand to more undergraduate and graduate programs. The association of EIA with other environmental management tools, such as environmental management systems or environmental performance evaluation, and sustainable development initiatives will be a priority challenge for all who are engaged in this domain.