Signing ceremony for the transfer agreement for the future FCT facilities

The signing ceremony for the transfer agreement for the future FCT facilities took place on March 22, at the LNEC Auditorium, on Avenida do Brasil in Lisbon. The ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato.

With the signing of this document by FCT and ESTAMO, the first step has been taken towards the creation of Campus Ciência XXI, a measure to support the scientific community included in the PRR – Recovery and Resilience Plan (Investment C05 – i08 – Ciência Mais Digital) with funding of €3.7 million. The creation of a science and technology campus will initially involve the renovation and adaptation of two buildings on Avenida do Brasil in Lisbon, transferring the FCT services currently located on Avenida D. Carlos I to this location, where the FCT's digital services (through its FCCN Unit) are already operating.

The welcome speech was given by Eduardo Fortunato, Member of the LNEC Board of Directors, and the opening session was led by Madalena Alves, President of FCT, followed by a speech by António Furtado, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ESTAMO. This was followed by a presentation of Campus Ciência XXI by Miguel Amado of ENGLISPLAN and Fernando Alfaiate, President of Estrutura de Missão Recuperar Portugal, who spoke about the Recovery and Resilience Plan. After the signing of the contract for the transfer of facilities between FCT and ESTAMO and before the closing of the session, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato, presented medals of scientific merit to Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues (Rector of ISCTE) and Maria José Fernandes (Chair of the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes and current President of the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave). This was followed by a visit to the future FCT facilities.