Applications for the 2nd edition of the RESTART Programme open on April 9

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) is opening applications for the 2nd edition of the RESTART Programme on April 9th. O Notice of the Call is now available.

Portugal is one of the countries in the world that has made the most progress in terms of parity between men and women in the field of scientific research, although there are still significant inequalities that need to be addressed. In this context, with a greater impact on female researchers in the early stages of their careers, parenthood creates additional challenges, with impacts ranging from scientific production to the management of teams and projects, to attracting funding.

The RESTART Programme seeks to support a competitive return to research activities after returning from parental leave, seeking to minimize the impact of parenthood on the career horizons and research path planning of female researchers. It aims to promote gender equality and equal opportunities in R&D activities and careers, and family-career balance, with a particular impact on female researchers working in national institutions, through the funding, in a competitive Call , of individual projects for a maximum amount of 50,000 euros, with an implementation duration of 18 months. The 2nd edition of this program has a budget of 1.6 M€.

The 1st edition of RESTART (2023) approved 31 projects in all scientific fields, with overall funding of €1.5 million. 30 of the 31 projects approved in 2023 were submitted by women.

RESTART is aimed at female researchers who have recently taken parental leave, including adoption leave. It also covers, with specific eligibility conditions, shared parental leave.

This program supports researchers in the pursuit and development of an original and innovative research idea, with the possibility of associating other human and/or material resources, according to the funding made available and the expected execution time.

With the commitment of the host institution, national, foreign and stateless researchers who cumulatively meet the following requirements may apply: (i) hold a doctoral degree; (ii) be an integrated doctoral member of an R&D unit, or have a contractual relationship with a State laboratory; (iii) have benefited from parental leave, including adoption leave, of 120 days or more, or shared parental leave, including adoption leave, of 72 days or more, between February 16, 2023, inclusive, and the start date of the application submission period. By defining this eligibility period sequentially to the same period as the 1st edition, the FCT is ensuring that there is no gap between the two editions.

The RESTART Programme also covers researchers with a Studentship contract.

The application period for the 2nd edition of the RESTART Programme runs from April 9 to May 14, 2024.

This financing instrument is in line with the concerns and recommendations of the Council of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in this area, and Portugal is one of the pioneering countries in responding to these issues.