Throughout the nineties of last century, the polytechnic education has greatly risen in Portugal, reflecting the adoption of that status, in 1990. The number of students has grown exponentially with the increase of its weight in public higher education, emerging institutions outside the district capitals.

The study aimed to carry out an assessment on the feasibility and sustainability of implementing a polytechnic building in Peniche, with the characteristics defined for a School of Sea Technology (ESTM).

In this context, it focused on: (i) the identification of major trends and policy guidelines relating to higher education, whether in the international context as in the national, (ii) the comparison of the training provision envisaged for the short term to the School of Sea Technology, with other higher education institutions involved in the same fields, scientific and sectoral, (ii) assessing the educational and socio-economic feasibility of the project, structuring strategic opportunities and guidelines for a development operational model for the ESTM.