“Being there and knowing the Portuguese system, you can be the scientific ambassadors of Portuguese science,” said the minister, speaking via video conference in Luzo 2023, during the 16th annual meeting of the Association of Portuguese Researchers and Students in the United Kingdom. ), which took place today in London.
The minister was commenting on a study published by PARSUK on scientific collaborations between the two countries that identifies around 1,500 joint projects between 2014 and 2020.
The study concluded that of the 353 doctorates awarded between the two countries during those four years, 88% were from Portuguese students in the UK and only 12% were in the opposite direction.
“In these collaborations it is good to have effective remuneration on both sides. It should not be Portugal that finances the scholarships, it is important to have the commitment of the other university in these agreements,” argued the minister.
The minister, who justified the cancellation of the trip due to a security risk due to a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the center of the British capital, said he wanted to “increase flow in both directions” and welcome more British researchers to Portugal.
“We want to increase scientific cooperation, but we want a more effective cooperation for both sides,” he stressed.
Elvira Fortunato promised to take advantage of the recommendations of the study carried out in collaboration with the Foundation for Science and Technology and the United Kingdom Embassy in Lisbon to renew a cooperation protocol between the FCT and PARSUK in the coming weeks.
The minister pointed to scientific employment as one of the “flags” of his ministry, highlighting the aim of obtaining more doctorates with indefinite contracts in higher education institutions such as universities, polytechnic institutes or research laboratories.
The FCT-Tenure program is to be launched this year to fund 1,000 teaching or research positions in universities and polytechnics, with another 400 positions expected to open by 2025.
According to the minister, FCT teachers will be paid 66% salary for three years and researchers for six years if hired.
“By 2026, about 3,000 teachers will retire and this is a great opportunity to start FCT-Tenure,” he argued.
The government is planning another effort to retain or attract Portuguese or international talent through the Recovery and Resilience Program (PRR) funding of 500 thousand euros to Portuguese universities that can attract researchers with European Research Council grants outside of Portugal. .
Alternatively, universities responsible for competitions must guarantee an associate or full professorship.
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