Maria do Carmo GOMES is currently a Chief Lead Researcher in ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon and works as a consultant on education, training, skills development and employment topics, both at local and international levels.

Expert in the topics of lifelong learning systems development, adult education and training, Vocational Education and Training (VET), namely on public policies, policy analysis and system performance monitoring, and digital transformation processes. She holds a PhD in Sociology, by ISCTE-Lisbon University Institute (ISCTE-IUL) on Adult Education and Training Policies, 2012, and a Master in Social Sciences by the Social Sciences Institute (ICS-UL) of the University of Lisbon (2002) and graduated in Sociology (ISCTE-IUL, 1997).

She has been working as a Senior Expert on Human Capital Development at the European Training Foundation (ETF) until January 2023. She was Chief Technical Adviser at International Labour Organization (ILO) as an Employment and Skills Specialist, working as the Team Leader and VET Expert of the EU IPA 2010 Project on Human Resources Development in Albania from April 2012 to January 2015 and lastly as senior adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth in Albania, from April 2015 to June 2016.

Between 2008 and 2011, she was Vice-president of the National Agency for Qualifications (ANQ, Lisbon, Portugal) – the Portuguese public body responsible for the coordination of education and training public policies in Portugal.

Has been an Associated researcher of CIES-IUL (Center for Research and Studies in Sociology) of ISCTE – Lisbon University Institute, since 1998, having as main interest and scientific areas: adult education and training public policies; literacy and competences; social and technological networks; youth, social exclusion, and poverty.

She supported the Government of the Republic of Serbia in the preparation of the Adult Education Law and in the development of Competence Based Curricula (as international consultant of the PBILD project implemented by ILO, 2010-2012). Had also a strong cooperation with UNESCO under the network of cooperation based on the Portuguese Speaking Countries, such as Brazil and Cape Vert.

She was the National Delegate in the Board of Participating Countries of the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), in the OECD, 2008-2011. Expert member of the research team that has developed the ex-ante evaluation of the Portuguese Operational Programme for Human Potential (European Social Fund), 2007-2013.

Was invited Teacher in the Lisbon High-School for Education from 1999 to 2012 and has been collaborating in the Master Education and Society of ISCTE-IUL, as a key-note speaker since 2002.