Coimbra, Portugal, July 13, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's deputy minister for state reform stated on Monday in Coimbra, when asked about the national exams case, that the digital transition “involves risks” and entails a process of trial and error.
“The digital transition has costs; the digital transition has risks. Throughout the history of the digital transition, we have countless examples of trial and error,” said Gonçalo Matias, who was responding to journalists’ questions about the national exams after taking part in the presentation of the urban management platform of the Intermunicipal Community of the Coimbra Region (CIMRC).
Without referring specifically to the problems with the exams – the timetable for which was altered due to issues with the digitisation process – the minister stated that the Government is prepared for “this process of trial and error”, emphasising that it is not prepared “to turn back”.
“What we are not prepared to do is leave anyone behind. What we are prepared to do is move forward, learn from what may not go well and improve in the future. Because that is the only way we can evolve. And that is why we have the level of digitisation we have today,” he emphasised.
Speaking during the platform’s launch event, which took place at the Convento São Francisco in Coimbra, Gonçalo Matias argued that “complex matters” should not be digitised, as this merely creates “yet another layer of digital bureaucracy”.
In the minister’s view, before digitisation, the focus should be on simplifying processes and procedures.
“This takes work; it is meticulous work, almost like fine craftsmanship, but it has to be done,” he said.
He argued that we should not be afraid of digitalisation, considering that these transition processes bring advantages and the possibility of offering better and faster services to citizens.
“Let us not be afraid of digitalisation. It will present us with challenges, of course it will. It already is. Every day we are confronted with examples of cases where digitalisation faces greater difficulties. That is why we can carry out pilot projects; we can experiment, test and fail. And we will fail. Who has never failed? But failing does not mean taking a step backwards. Failing does not mean giving up,” he stated.
The president of CIMRC, Helena Teodósio, emphasised that the platform presented today, which represents an investment of €1.92 million funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), is “a new chapter” in the way we view the region and local governance.
“This project will include, within a single technological infrastructure, data from sensors, urban equipment, municipal systems, citizens and various information databases, providing an integrated, real-time view of the region,” she explained.
It will be an “open, interoperable platform, designed to evolve in line with future needs”, which will provide support in areas such as water management, waste management, energy, transport and the irrigation of green spaces, amongst other sectors.
The Mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa, also described the platform as “the region’s brain”, supporting decision-making.
In her speech, the mayor also sounded a warning about the digital transition, when there is a shift from “paper-based bureaucracy to digital bureaucracy, multiplying steps and barriers”.
She advocated a move away from paper, accompanied by a simplification of procedures, “eliminating redundancies to ensure that technology frees up time and resources”.
JGA/AYLS // AYLS
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