The growing cultural and linguistic diversity in Portuguese public schools, driven by global migratory flows, poses complex educational challenges and requires responses that transcend administrative inclusion to promote genuinely transformative integration. This study presents the results of a nationwide qualitative investigation carried out under the project AquiMeEncontro, coordinated by Universidade Aberta in partnership with the national education authorities. It aims to identify, analyse, and systematize educational practices that support the successful integration of migrant students in public education.

Data were collected from 126 school clusters across five regions of Portugal during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic years, using a structured open-ended questionnaire administered to school leadership teams. The methodological approach is anchored in content analysis supported by MAXQDA software, integrating five analytical dimensions:
(1) type of activity;
(2) pedagogical and social objectives;
(3) organisational structure and stakeholders;
(4) perceived levels of efficacy; and
(5) contextual variables, including regional diversity and student demographics.

Practices were mapped along four main axes: curricular, socioemotional, intercultural, and socioeconomic. Notably, 63% of activities were non-curricular, while 86% were located within informal educational frameworks, many of them systemic and recurrent. Frequently reported practices included personalised mentoring, targeted language support in Portuguese as a Non-Native Language (PLNM), peer-to-peer tutoring, and intercultural events celebrating linguistic and cultural diversity.

The findings suggest that schools prioritise emotional well-being, initial reception, and language acquisition as core components of their integration strategies. Teachers and school leaders were identified as the main promoters (42%), while multidisciplinary teams, students, technical staff, and external partners also played relevant roles. Outcomes perceived by schools included increased student engagement, improved academic results, enhanced linguistic proficiency, and greater self-esteem and belonging among migrant learners.

However, structural limitations persist. These include a lack of systematic teacher training in intercultural competences, the underrepresentation of migrant families in school governance processes, and the absence of formal evaluation mechanisms to monitor and sustain inclusive initiatives. The study concludes that while Portuguese schools are actively building inclusive ecosystems through multilevel and context-sensitive strategies, a second generation of policy and practice is required. This should focus on sustainable professional development, structured assessment tools, and co-responsibility frameworks that engage families and communities in meaningful ways.

These insights are particularly relevant for informing international educational agendas, reinforcing institutional resilience, and advancing equity-driven reform in multicultural school systems.

Keywords: Inclusive education, migrant students, intercultural practices, school integration.