Government Sends a New Group of 50 Scholarship Holders to Study Law in Portugal
On October 2nd, 2026, at the Government Palace in Dili, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão attended the farewell ceremony for 50 Timorese scholarship holders departing for Portugal to study law, as part of the human resources training programme for the justice sector.
Of the 50 scholarship holders selected, 41 will attend undergraduate degree programmes, six will attend master’s degree programmes, and three will attend doctoral programmes at Portuguese higher education institutions.
At the ceremony, the Prime Minister urged the students to regard this opportunity as a commitment to training in the service of Timor-Leste and to return to the country upon completing their studies.
“Every day, remember that you are there to return better equipped to serve,” said Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
The Head of Government reinforced this appeal by reminding the scholarship holders of their commitment to the country: “Do not forget this commitment: I am going to Portugal to return and serve. This is what must stay in your minds and hearts. Learn to serve, study to serve.”
The programme is part of measures developed by the Working Group for Justice Sector Reform, coordinated by former Minister of Justice Lúcia Lobato, to address the need for qualified human resources and to strengthen the capacities of justice sector institutions and the legal services of the Public Administration.
The initiative is based on five cooperation agreements signed by the Government in June 2024 with the Catholic University of Portugal, the University of Minho, the University of Lisbon, the University of Porto, and NOVA University Lisbon. The agreements provide for the training in Portugal of approximately 50 Timorese students per year, with the aim of training between 250 and 300 legal professionals.
The programme is funded by the Government of Timor-Leste, representing an investment of approximately US$16 million. The training aims to increase the number of qualified legal staff, particularly within the judiciary, the Public Defender’s Office, the legal services of the Public Administration, and legal education.
In 2024, the first group of 51 scholarship holders travelled to Portugal under this programme. In 2025, a further 52 scholarship holders were selected.
During the ceremony, the Ambassador of Portugal to Timor-Leste, Duarte Bué Alves, reaffirmed the priority given to education and training within the framework of Portuguese cooperation with Timor-Leste and highlighted Portugal’s readiness to continue supporting the training of Timorese professionals.
The Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment, Gastão Francisco de Sousa; the Coordinator of the Working Group for Justice Sector Reform, Lúcia Lobato; representatives of the Human Capital Development Fund; and the scholarship holders also attended the ceremony.
The student representative, Nenia Milenia Belo da Silva, thanked the Government for the opportunity and reaffirmed the scholarship holders’ commitment to undertaking their training in Portugal responsibly and to placing the knowledge acquired at the service of the country upon their return to Timor-Leste.
