FCT and National Defense Institute sign Protocol for the “Defense + Science” Program

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the National Defense Institute (IDN) have established a cooperation protocol for the implementation of the "Defense + Science" program. The protocol was signed by the President of the FCT, Madalena Alves, and the Director General of the IDN, Isabel Ferreira Nunes, at a ceremony held on March 18, 2025, chaired by the Secretary of State for National Defense, Ana Isabel Xavier, and the Secretary of State for Science, Ana Paiva.

The "Defense + Science" program has the following objectives:

1. Promote research, development, and innovation in areas essential to the operational capabilities of the Armed Forces, mobilizing higher education institutions and research centers within the National Science and Technology System (SNCT) to address security and defense issues, with a focus on strengthening national strategic autonomy.
2. Promote the defense economy through greater coordination between companies, higher education institutions, civil and military research centers, and the Armed Forces.
3. To value and qualify SNCT researchers, promoting their training and research on topics relevant to security and defense.
4. To value and qualify Armed Forces professionals, promoting their training and development.
5. Encourage the involvement of national industry in R&D&I programs, in partnership with military and civilian research and innovation centers, higher education institutions, and cooperative programs of the European Union or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

With a budget of €8 million to invest by 2030, the "Defense + Science" program will finance, through Calls , jointly promoted R&D projects that will provide a significant advance in scientific and technological knowledge, in line with international standards.