Clinical Academic Centers

The activities to be carried out by the CACs and the funding to be allocated by the FCT have the following objectives:

1. Support the basis for interinstitutional cooperation, cross-cutting activities, common structures, and the organization and management that underpin cooperation between the institutions that make up the CAC;
2. Support the development, internationalization, and sustained and cooperative progress of high-quality clinical and translational research and biomedical innovation;
3. Support the promotion of research and development (R&D) activities, innovation, and cooperation between healthcare units, scientific and academic institutions, and other organizations working in this field;
4. Laying the foundations for harnessing the potential of clinical and translational research to create added value for patients, the healthcare system, and higher education in the field of health, with a view to the continuous improvement and excellence of medical care provision;
5. Stimulate biomedical innovation and knowledge economy activities in the health sector;
6. Encourage ways to create skilled jobs and scientific employment in clinical and translational research areas, promoting incentives for institutions to attract, hire, and retain the best researchers and technicians in the health field.

In 2022, the first Multi-Year Evaluation and Funding of Academic Clinical Centers was carried out, coordinated by FCT, which delegated the task to the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) in conjunction with the Central Administration of the Health System, I.P. (ACSS), in close coordination with the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES), the Directorate-General for Health (DGS), and after consulting the National Council of Academic Clinical Centers (CNCAC).