In previous exploratory studies (Pires, 2007, Pires, 2008) we presented the tendencies and some emerging practices aiming the participation of adults in Higher Education in Portugal, as well as the implementation of recognition of prior learning practices in this specific level of education. A comparative study (Griffiths, Kaldi and Pires, 2008) shed light on the common political concerns and on the different practices developed in different institutions, in the studied countries – U.K., Greece and Portugal. Within the framework of Life Long Learning policies, Higher Education institutions are evolving and adapting their strategies to different publics: promoting the wider participation of mature students, developing new educational and organisational practices in order to recognize their previous knowledge and competences. According to Peters (2006:163) “(recognition of prior learning) practices aim to open universities to a different type of student, to challenge the academy to look at different forms of knowledge and to promote different assessment strategies”. In Portugal, the adult learning dynamics and the recognition of prior learning practices at the Higher Education level is an innovative phenomena and not deeply studied. As Pires pointed out (2007), H.E. institutions can adopt different concepts of knowledge and different models to value prior learning. However, we don’t have studies in this country centred on the impact of these recent policies, specifically from the individual perspective. At this stage of the research, we will present the theoretical framework of the study, the research questions and the methodological design (case study). With this case study, that will be developed in a Higher Education institution that have recently implemented a structure for recognition of prior learning, we intend to analyse the impact of the new policies and practices at the individual level, focusing our research on the understanding of mature students perceptions about it.

We will use a qualitative methodology, based on documental analysis and interviews. The subjects of the study are a group of mature students that had enter in this H.E. institution through the new national access regime for adults (named M23) and that had experienced the recognition of prior learning process.

we intend to shed light on the effects of the recent national education policies, specifically from the individual perspective (matures students and staff), in order to understand the impact of the new policies and practices at the individual level.