Portugal actively participates in the Ibero-American cooperation process. The Directorate-General for Higher Education is responsible for following up issues related to higher education, supporting the implementation of the Ibero-American Knowledge Area.
OEI – Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture
The Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI) is an international governmental body created to promote the cooperation among the Ibero-American countries. Founded in 1949 as an international agency, the Office of Latin American Education, it became an intergovernmental body on the 15th of March 1957. In 1985 it adopted its present name.
OEI’s main goal is to contribute to strengthening knowledge, mutual understanding, integration, solidarity and peace among the Ibero-American people, including all the Spanish and Portuguese speaking people of Latin America and Europe. The dissemination of the Spanish and Portuguese languages represents another important goal to be achieved by the reinforcement of the roles of education, science, technology and culture.
SEGIB – Ibero-American General Secretariat
Following the Summits for the Ibero-American Heads of State and Government (1991) and subsequent meetings in different areas, the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) was created at the XIII Summit (2003). SEGIB is an international organization intended to provide permanent institutional and technical support to the Ibero-AmericanConference. It implements the mandates arising from the Summits and boosts the Ibero-American cooperation in the fields of education, social cohesion and culture.
