FCT introduces greater flexibility in the Rules for the Financial Execution of Research Units

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) has revised the Financial Execution Rules for the multiannual funding of R&D Units (UI&D) for the period 2025-2029, with the aim of providing greater flexibility in the use of basic and programmatic funding. This measure aims to respond to the specific needs of UI&D, ensuring that they can manage their resources more effectively and flexibly, in order to boost scientific research in Portugal.

The main changes introduced include the following:

1. The financial management of the multiannual funding allocated for the 2025-2029 period will now be done in an integrated manner, aggregating the base funding and the programmatic funding, if any;

2. It is no longer necessary to inform the FCT in advance of the need to make budget changes between headings in the budget allocated to a particular UI&D management institution, although the maximum limits accepted for each heading, if any, must be complied with, in accordance with the provisions of the standards document. It will continue to be necessary to request authorization from the FCT for budget changes that occur between the unit's management institutions;

3. The possibility for UI&D to use their multi-annual funding to "buy out" teaching hours. This change will allow doctoral researchers who are integrated members of UI&D and who are contracted under careers with teaching responsibilities (ECIC, ECPDESP or ECDU) to be partially or totally exempt from teaching service, in the manner to be agreed with the respective higher education institutions. With this measure, the FCT wants R&D Units to be able to allow their integrated members to devote more time to excellent research, while at the same time valuing the careers and research carried out by all national researchers, regardless of the career in which they are hired;

4. FCT will now allow multi-annual funding to be used to co-finance, in the portion not covered by other sources, positions awarded under the FCT-Tenure program and individual scientific employment Calls . This measure reinforces support for institutions in creating opportunities for the consolidation of research careers, contributing to the rejuvenation and strengthening of the scientific community in Portugal;

5. The monthly maintenance allowance or other associated costs for Post-Doctoral Studentships whose call for applications is published after January 1, 2026 will now be considered ineligible. The aim of this amendment is to give priority to employment contracts with PhD researchers.

This flexibilization in the execution of funds takes effect on January 1, 2025.

With these changes, the FCT reinforces its commitment to: promoting greater administrative simplification, allowing for more efficient financial management; supporting more stable and sustainable scientific careers, valuing the scientific research activities that underpin both teaching and research careers; allowing greater autonomy and capacity for UI&D in the management of their human resources; promoting greater synergy between the activities of UI&D and the strategic research priorities defined by each Higher Education Institution.