1. Impact Study The Magellan PC* for Education:
Technology that Transforms Portugal’s Present and Future
To take advantage of the opportunities that globalization offers, a society must look
to technology, which is at the root of today’s information economy.
Portugal embraced this concept and embarked on a bold initiative to make computers
a core part of every Portuguese child’s education. In the process, they have created a
PC manufacturing industry and invigorated the economy as a whole. The benefits are
not some far-off speculation; an estimated 1,500 jobs and €2.3 billion in total economic
activity are expected to be added through 2010.1
The program’s astonishing success since its inception in 2008 demonstrates the viability
of this approach for other countries, even as it pays growing dividends at home.
The Challenge: Getting Technology into the Lives of People
Developing a technologically competent populace requires putting computers and infrastructure into
people’s hands, as well as giving them the means to take advantage of those resources. Education
systems are a common place to consider enacting changes like these. Unfortunately, that approach alone
tends to characterize the challenge as one of how to locate even more money for schools, which every
society struggles to fund optimally.
There’s more to the story, however, as demonstrated by the success of Portugal’s Magellan PC* initiative.
The larger answer lies in a holistic approach that considers far more than how to fund an ambitious
education initiative. By characterizing the goal as the development of an entire information economy,
a more complete picture begins to emerge that includes components on both the supply side and the
consumer side of the economy. It also incorporates near-term results in the form of business growth
as well as longer-term ones in the form of raising a generation of information workers that will create a
forward-looking economy as they grow up.
2. The Intel-powered classmate PC reference design is the basis of the Impact on Education: Empowering a New
low-cost portable computer known as the Magellan PC, designed and Generation with Technology
built in Portugal. As an educational solution rather than a specific
The Magellan project has transformed the Portuguese education
product, the classmate PC is intended for local manufacturers to
system, with extraordinary benefits to the children, their teachers, and
create their own products that achieve core principles of value:
the system as a whole. Previously, broad swaths of the Portuguese
• Rugged, robust, and affordable: customizable to specific public had little or no access to computers, whereas now children are
customer needs leading the way toward a more modern era. The majority of children
have received Magellan PCs for their use at both school and home, and
• Built-in parental controls
the program has the near-term goal of increasing that deployment
• Holistic solution with pre-packaged, locally driven
to 100 percent. Every school in the country also now has broadband
education-oriented software and content
access, up from 18 percent in 2005.
As the core of a comprehensive program of hardware, software,
The Portuguese national government, through the Ministries of
connectivity, and content combined with teacher, parent, and student
Education and Telecommunications, is administering the program.
training, the Magellan PC has succeeded beautifully. Other countries
Their successful approach has been to identify teachers at the
around the world look ahead to following their example and achieving
local level and train them as master teachers who then help enable
similar benefits for their people. Intel provides additional technological
their peers. To date, 850 such master teachers have been identified
and logistical guidance to public and private partnerships. This
and trained, in turn helping to train 30,000 teachers nationwide so
document explores the successes that have already been achieved by
far (about one third of the total). All those teachers have received
Portugal’s Magellan PC program. It also captures some best practices
both theoretical and practical guidance about how to incorporate
for other countries that may want to follow in Portugal’s footsteps.
technology into the curriculum.
Parents are also an integral part of the Magellan program. Parents
throughout the country have taken part in a comprehensive
orientation program, in addition to receiving a Get Started Guide that
provides tips about how best to use the Magellan PC as part of their
children’s educational experience. Members of parent associations
have also participated in teacher training sessions, helping them
to feel like full partners in the transformation taking place in their
neighborhood schools.
“I believe that in the short term, the
Magellan will contribute to innovation
in pedagogical practice, and in the
medium-to-long term, it will change
the paradigm of education in Portugal,
preparing future generations for a
knowledge-based society.”
- Ana Matias, a primary teacher from a school near Lisbon
2
3. Business Impacts: Invigorating the Portuguese Notably, four million of those Magellan PCs are intended for export,
Technology Industry which demonstrates a fundamental change in JP Sá Couto’s business
Portugal’s technology sector has developed into a major economic model, as well as Portugal’s role in the global technology industry. The
force within the country. JP Sá Couto, the hardware company tasked resultant improvements in the balance of trade and ability to attract
with manufacturing the Magellan PC, expects to grow by a factor foreign investment are expected to pay benefits for many years to come.
of 5x over the course of 2009, adding some 400 employees. The
Although the company originally had been a networking and original
company is also bringing a new manufacturing facility online, working
equipment manufacturer, it is now in the process of transforming
toward the goal of manufacturing five million units by the end of 2010.
into an original design manufacturer focused on education. As a
result, the company has moved significantly up the economic value
chain. Adding hardware design, configuration, and motherboard
“Having contributed consistently as manufacturing to the scope of its operations makes JP Sá Couto more
vertically integrated. That positions the company potentially to be far
a high-growth sector in its own right, more profitable, to employ more people, and to have a greater positive
Information and Communication impact on the Portuguese economy as a whole.
Technologies can now power economic
recovery across all sectors.”
- Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary-General
2009 2010
Original Equipment Manufacturer Original Design Manufacturer
Abroad Abroad
• Processor manufacture • Processor manufacture
• Hardware design
• Component design
In Portugal
• Motherboard manufacture
• Hardware design
• Configuration
• Motherboard manufacture
Increased • Configuration
In Portugal Value Added • Hard drive assembly
• Hard drive assembly • Manufacturing Jobs • Final assembly
• Final assembly • Design Jobs
• Intellectual Capital
JP Sá Couto’s evolution toward greater vertical integration
Image Source: Vital Wave Consulting, June 2009. “Measuring the Economic Impact of Magellan: A First Look.”
3
4. Economic Impacts: Planting Seeds that Grow Because most of the software and educational content associated
Broad Roots with the Magellan project originates in Portugal, the broader domestic
In addition to the direct benefits to local economies, the technology industry benefits. Substantial job and revenue growth
improvements in Portugal’s skilled workforce, increased tax revenues, is taking place across the Portuguese technology sector, creating
and ripple effect to the rest of the economy are a substantial area of what has been referred to as a “Portuguese Silicon Valley” in the
success from the Magellan project. Studies indicate that the addition northern part of the country. Key points of growth are being enjoyed
of each new manufacturing job to an economy may indirectly lead to by software producers, service providers, and telecommunications
the creation of an additional 3.2 jobs.
1 providers, for a total projected growth from the Magellan project
of some 1,500 jobs and €2.3 billion in total economic activity
through 2010.1
This growth also includes modernization of the country’s overall
“On a social level, we are talking about communications infrastructure, along with a general increase in the
level of regional IT expertise throughout Portugal. That development
including people. We are talking about sets the foundation for a long-term national ability to more fully
creating more jobs.” participate in the global information economy. The Portuguese
computer ecosystem as a whole has grown dramatically over a broad
- Jorge Sá Couto, JP Sá Couto, Magellan PC manufacturer spectrum of companies that includes software producers, service
providers, and telecommunication providers, in addition to the PC
manufacturing sector itself.
Software Producers Service Providers Telecommunications Providers
• Optimus
• Caixa Magica (Linux*) • CEIIA (design innovation)
• Portugal Telecom
• Porto Editoria (educational software) • Prológica (distribution and integration)
• Vodafone
• Microsoft (Windows* software) • Other training and service organizations
• Zon Multimedia
Portuguese job and revenue growth attributed to the Magellan project benefits a broad range of business areas, including local
producers of software and services, as well as telecommunications providers
Source: Vital Wave Consulting, June 2009. “Measuring the Economic Impact of Magellan: A First Look.”
4
5. The development of well-paying jobs at the core of a solid technology Three Key Lessons: The Basis for More Success
manufacturing industry stimulates the consumer economy. Increased Progress so far indicates clearly that the Magellan program in Portugal
discretionary income produces demand across sectors, ranging has succeeded in delivering extraordinary education, business, and
from consumer goods to service industries, such as transportation, economic advantages both to individuals and to the country as a
restaurants, and leisure activities. The broad base of economic whole. Moreover, the impact of the Magellan project has been to
development fostered by the Magellan project is helping to spur establish practices that other countries can follow to achieve similar
Portugal’s recovery from the current recession as well as improve success of their own.
hope for the country’s long-term well-being.
The highly visible role of the Portuguese government in this project
reinforces its identity as an eager promoter of economic development,
helping to enhance future cooperation between the public and private
sectors. Moreover, the collaboration within the government itself has
strengthened its ability to undertake future development activities.
Government plays a key role in using technology to promote social and economic welfare, particularly
in developing economies. Because projects like Magellan call for the actual transformation of the
education system, new education standards, curriculum, and policy are needed.
• Central authority. Governments are uniquely able to enact such high-level changes to the
Lesson 1: Government education system, which may require certain mandates.
Leadership is Vital
• Strategic guidance. Programs like Magellan draw part of their viability from policy decisions
around a national competitiveness strategy.
• Social oversight. The benefits to society as a whole that this type of program provides are in
keeping with government’s traditional role.
Collaboration between government and business entities is required to meet the goals of so
sweeping an initiative as the Magellan project. Both the public and the private sector each
Lesson 2: Success contributes according to its unique capabilities.
Depends on • Public sector provides administrative apparatus. Central authority is important to enact
Public and Private matters of policy across school districts, as well as to streamline regulatory hurdles and
Partnerships sometimes to incent businesses as needed.
• Private sector provides innovative ability. Particularly because of profit motivation,
businesses help drive development of the goods and services needed.
A number of superficially similar programs throughout the world have stopped short of the kinds
of success enjoyed by the Magellan program. In many cases, these would have benefited from the
integrated approach used in Portugal, which goes far beyond the Magellan PC’s hardware, software,
and content technology alone:
Lesson 3: Programs
• Training and outreach. Preparing master trainers and local autonomy builds sustainability
Require More Than
and invests local schools and individuals in the program’s success.
Just Technology
• Extended assistance. Ongoing relationships between program administrators, involved
businesses, and local schools align goals for the continuing health of the program.
• Broad-based change. Empowering parents and teachers makes the technology a status quo
reality for students, who embrace their example.
5
6. Conclusion: Future Directions
Looking ahead, the Portuguese economy is on track to meet its stated goal of being one of the five most important
technology providers in the European Union. The Magellan PC continues to be adopted by every child in the country, and
the technology sector as a whole is thriving. Radiating outward from a single initiative, the nation’s transformation to
being a viable participant in the global information economy seems assured. As other countries around the world learn
from Portugal’s example, its PC industry continues to flourish, its economy moves steadily forward to recovery, and its
children look ahead to a brighter future.
6
7. Achieve Your Vision
Contact your local Intel representative to discuss how you can implement a sustainable,
technology-based education program in your country. Visit us on the Web at :
www.intel.com/worldahead
Investigate the Portugal Technology Plan at
www.planotecnologico.pt
Learn more about the classmate PC education solution at
www.classmatepc.com
