 This is not exclusive of polytechnic engineerings since that in other polytechnic fields, like in polytechnic accountancy and management institutes or schools, history, geography, or even Portuguese language entrance exams are allowed instead of mathematics and economics, unlike what is allowed for the university courses in similar fields, although some departments of certain university institutions are using the same criteria to fight the increasing number of places left vacant every year.Today, after many reforms and changes in higher education occurred since 1998 to the 2000s, the formal differences between polytechnic and university "licenciatura" degrees in engineering are in general null, and due to the Bologna process both graduates should be recognized equally all across Europe.However, there are many engineering courses whose degrees are still not recognized by the "Ordem dos Engenheiros" (the highest Portuguese authority in accreditation of professional engineers), especially engineering courses conferred by several polytechnical institutes and many private institutions.