FCT Tenure - 1st Edition

Non-business entities in the research and development (R&D) system may apply for FCT-Tenure support, provided they have legal personality, namely Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), their institutes and R&D units; Associate Laboratories LA); state or international laboratories based in Portugal; private non-profit institutions whose main purpose is R&D activities; collaborative laboratories (CoLAB); technology interface centers; science and technology infrastructures. Subsequently, the program will finance hires resulting from Calls at the institutions chosen for funding, whether for teaching (university and polytechnic) or research careers. The FCT will enter into program contracts with the institutions hiring the candidates, ensuring the financing of eligible expenses incurred in hiring the PhD until a maximum term of 3 years for permanent contracts, for university teaching and polytechnic higher education careers under the ECDU and ECPDESP, and 6 years for research careers for permanent contracts under the ECIC and for permanent contracts equivalent to the Scientific Research Career Statute (ECIC).

The FCT will co-finance 67% (~2/3) of the salary costs for each open position for careers covered by eligible entities that is effectively occupied by a researcher/teacher who is, or has been in the past, in a fixed-term contractual situation (employment contract or Studentship , as a doctoral student in both cases). In the case of research careers, the second three-year period will be co-financed by the FCT at 33% (~1/3). It is considered that the co-financing model, involving a mutual commitment and the sharing of financial responsibilities between the institutions of the National Scientific and Technological System (SCTN) and the FCT, is the one that most favorably balances the greater scope of the Program (both in terms of researchers and institutions) and its higher levels of implementation and impact.

The FCT considers all researchers as such, regardless of the career in which they are hired, with the aim of supporting the development of R&D activities, establishing and encouraging the hiring of PhDs by these scientific institutions. For this reason, the FCT-Tenure program provides for integration into both research and teaching careers, opting, however, to limit, in the case of integration into teaching careers, and while FCT support is in force, the time dedicated to teaching activities to a maximum of 4 hours per week (average value per three-year period). This limit is equivalent to that imposed by the Scientific Research Career Statute (ECIC) for positions in scientific research careers. Thus, while the support provided under this program is in force, there will be no distinction between an FCT-Tenure position open under the ECDU and ECPDESP and a position in a scientific research career (ECIC or equivalent). This provides a perspective on careers covered by scientific research activities in terms of what they have in common, ensuring that the proposing institutions receive a significant level of autonomy in managing their career positions after the end of FCT support, providing researchers with conditions of stability and continuity, whether in teaching or research careers.

Yes. The FCT-Tenure program will co-finance the amount corresponding to the salary costs of the category in which the researcher is hired through an Call , allowing each researcher to be hired in the category (and career) that best suits their profile, background, and respective institution. The co-financing of remuneration costs will be supported by the FCT, taking the following references: i) 1st level of the category, without qualification or aggregation, of assistant/principal/coordinator researcher of the Scientific Research Career Statute (ECIC), as established in Decree-Law No. 124/99, of April 20, on a full-time or full-time basis: ii) 1st level of the category, without aggregation, of assistant/associate/full professor of the University Teaching Career Statute (ECDU), as established in Decree-Law No. 205/2009, of August 31, on an exclusive or full-time basis; iii) 1st level of the category, without aggregation, of Adjunct Professor of the Statute of the Polytechnic Higher Education Teaching Career (ECDESP), as established in Decree-Law No. 207/2009, of August 31, on an exclusive or full-time basis.

No. Given the program's objective of contributing to the stabilization of contractual relationships for researchers with fixed-term contracts or Studentships as doctoral students, doctoral students who currently hold permanent legal employment relationships in scientific research or higher education teaching careers, or other permanent contracts in national institutions not covered by the Career Statutes, will not be eligible for this support. In addition, only researchers who are currently benefiting from, or have benefited from, a fixed-term contract or a Studentship as doctoral students at an SNCT institution will be eligible for this support. In this way, the program contributes to offering the desired career prospects to researchers in Portugal.

Yes, provided that the researcher has benefited from a Studentship or a fixed-term contract as a doctoral student at an SNCT institution.

Yes. The FCT will now allow Associate Laboratories R&D Units and Associate Laboratories to allocate funds from base, programmatic, and LA funding to co-finance FCT-Tenure positions, regardless of whether the careers are in research, equivalent to research, or teaching. Thus, in the case of UI/LA Chairs, direct and indirect funding from the FCT under this Program may reach 100% of the salary (and additional costs for the institution) for each PhD holder hired under the FCT-Tenure program. When verifying the eligibility of expenses, it will be necessary to present an agreement signed by both parties (UI/LA and IES) indicating the number of teaching hours agreed for that integrated researcher, the amount to be paid, and the duration of this partnership. In addition, proof of co-payment of the salary(ies) of the integrated researcher in question, issued by the HEI, must be submitted.

No. However, this is permitted, namely through funds allocated by the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) within the scope of base, programmatic, or LA funding.

The organization of the UI and the human resources strategy for the next five years will be one of the criteria considered, among others, in the UI evaluation process. Career stabilization should be part of this strategy, with particular relevance in larger UIs and/or those with a greater number of researchers on fixed-term contracts, in line with the trajectory of the R&D unit. It is up to each institution to decide on the most appropriate strategy for the proposed scientific plan, which may include in its activity plans the integration of researchers through the support and/or co-financing of career positions (teaching or research) with permanent contracts under the FCT-Tenure program.

Of the total 1,000 positions to be supported under the FCT-Tenure program, it is estimated that a minimum of 230 researchers/teachers will be hired through PRR funds (modality B, see section 4), up to the maximum amount to be financed by the PRR of €21,218,576.40, by March 31, 2026. The remaining researchers (modality A, see section 4) will be supported exclusively through tax revenues.

For contracts signed under modality A, in the first three-year period, contracts will be financed through tax revenue funds from the FCT budget, which will co-finance 67% (~2/3) of the salary costs for each position opened and effectively filled for the careers covered. In the case of research careers, the second three-year period will be co-financed at 33% (~1/3).

For contracts signed under modality B, in the first two years, contracts will be financed by the PRR, in an amount equivalent to 67% (~2/3) of two years' salary costs for each open and effectively filled position for the careers covered (the maximum amount to be financed by the PRR will be €21,218,576.40). In the third year of support, contracts will be financed through tax revenue from the FCT budget, covering 67% (~2/3) of salary costs. In the case of research careers, the second three-year period will be co-financed at 33% (~1/3) through tax revenue from the FCT budget.
Regardless of the modality, these co-financing percentages will apply to the salary costs of any category in which the researcher is hired, enabling each researcher to be hired in the category that best suits their profile and career path (researcher/assistant or adjunct professor, researcher/coordinating professor/full professor).

Support for the hiring of PhD holders who are employed on a permanent basis in scientific research, university teaching, and polytechnic higher education, and without a fixed term in national institutions not covered by the Career Statutes, will not be eligible. In addition, only PhDs who have benefited from a fixed-term contract or Studentship, as a PhD, at an institution of the National Science and Technology System will be eligible for this support.

The program contract between FCT and the contracting institution is signed after the final results are announced. The program contract will include the reference and description of all positions proposed for funding for each institution, as well as the terms for the start of funding associated with each position.

No. In this case, the contracting institution must immediately notify FCT of the termination of the contractual relationship with the researcher/teacher, in accordance with the terms of the program contract.

Yes, with the exception of calls for proposals published before the final results are announced and which, for justified reasons, do not include this element. Even so, for calls for proposals issued prior to the announcement of the final results, whenever possible, the FCT strongly recommends that calls for proposals include, as accurately as possible, the elements contained in the application that formed the basis for the proposal to award funding for each position, including its reference and details of the scientific component. This measure aims to ensure faster validation of eligibility criteria.

For each position, the Notice will be verified, which must contain, as accurately as possible, the terms set out in the application and which justified the proposed decision to award funding for each position. In case of doubt, the FCT may determine the eligibility of the proposed position based on at least two opinions from external experts in the field of specialization. If there are inconsistencies between the application data and the information contained in the Notice, the position will not be considered eligible under this program contract. Finally, the competition procedures must comply with the provisions of the ECIC, ECDU, and ECPDESP careers, or with equivalent careers in the case of institutions that are not covered by the career statutes.

For each position proposed for funding, the individual employment contract, the respective Notice of the Call procedure, the contractor's declaration of commitment certifying that they do not hold a permanent legal employment relationship in the careers of Scientific Research, University Teaching, and Polytechnic Higher Education Teaching, and/or a permanent contract in national institutions not covered by the Career Statutes (at the date of opening of Call ) and the document proving that they have benefited from a fixed-term contract or Studentship, as a doctoral student, at an institution of the National Science and Technology System.

No. In this case, the (co-)financing of these researchers' salaries will be provided by FCT under the terms of the FCT-Tenure program.