Retrieving civic dimensions in higher education curricula: is learning improving students’ civic development?

Learning outcomes and their implementation, since Bologna Declaration, have been a corner stone of what higher education curricula should pursue. This has been a common practice throughout Europe, but its true level of implementation is yet to be evaluated. Our study tries to depict the state of the art in what concerns specifically civic learning outcomes on new study programs submitted to quality accreditation in Portugal since 2004. Adopting a qualitative methodology approach, the incidence and the typology of stated civil learning outcomes was explored. The results allow us to understand and characterize different types of civic learning outcomes. In a cross reference, intended civic learning outcomes were analyzed, differentiating 1st, 2nd and 3rd study cycles. This analysis will enable us to draw some conclusions about which civic learning outcomes are effectively fostering global public good across Portuguese higher education. Results reveal that Higher Education institutions are reinforcing almost all dimensions of civic learning outcomes, defining civic values, civic skills and civic knowledge as expectable learning results. Both civic values and skills are well-represented while civic knowledge is the less macro-category mentioned, followed by civic behaviors.