Government urges researchers to promote Portugal as a science destination for Britons

Science, Technology and Higher Education Minister Elvira Fortunato this Saturday called on Portuguese scientists in the United Kingdom to become “ambassadors” for teaching and research institutions to attract more British students and researchers to Portugal.

“You who are there and know the Portuguese system can be scientific ambassadors of Portuguese science,” the minister said, speaking via video conference, during Luso2023, the 16th annual meeting of the Association of Portuguese Researchers and Students in the United Kingdom (PARSUK). ), which took place today in London.

The Minister commented on a study published by PARSUK on scientific cooperation between the two countries, which identified about 1,500 joint projects between 2014 and 2020.

The study concluded that of the 353 doctorates awarded between the two countries in those four years, 88% were obtained by Portuguese students in the United Kingdom and only 12% in the opposite direction.

“The good thing is that in this collaboration both parties are effectively rewarded. It is not only Portugal that should finance the scholarships, it is important that these agreements that we conclude also include commitments from the other university,” the minister said. .

The minister, who justified the cancellation of the trip on the security threat posed by a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the center of the British capital, said she wanted to “increase the flow in both directions” and welcome more British researchers to Portugal.

“We want to expand scientific cooperation, but it will be more fruitful for both sides,” he emphasized.

Elvira Fortunato promised to take advantage of the recommendations of the study, carried out in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology and the British Embassy in Lisbon, to renew the cooperation protocol between FCT and PARSUK in the coming weeks.

The minister described academic employment as “one of the flags” of her ministry, highlighting the goal of increasing the number of tenure-track doctorates in higher education institutions, be they universities, polytechnics or research laboratories.

The FCT-Tenure program is due to launch this year to fund 1,000 teaching or research positions at universities and polytechnics, with a further 400 positions expected to open in 2025.

According to the minister, the FCT will pay 66% of teachers’ salaries for three years and for six years if scientists are hired.

“By 2026, around 3,000 teachers will retire and this is a great opportunity to launch FCT-Tenure,” he said.

The government has planned another initiative to retain or attract Portuguese or international talent through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), funding packages of €500,000 for Portuguese universities that can attract researchers with a European Research Council grant outside Portugal. .

In return, the universities that will be responsible for holding the competitions must guarantee the position of associate professor or full professor.