Academic Clinical Centers

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

1. Supporting the basis of inter-institutional cooperation, cross-cutting activities, common structures and the organization and management that sustain cooperation between the institutions that make up the CAC;
2. To support the development, internationalization and sustained, cooperative progress of high-quality clinical and translational research and biomedical innovation;
3. To 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. Create the basis for harnessing the potential of clinical and translational research to create added value for patients, the health system and higher education in the area of health, with a view to continuous improvement and excellence in the provision of medical care;
5. Stimulate biomedical innovation and knowledge economy activities in the health sector;
6. Encourage the creation of qualified jobs and scientific jobs in clinical and translational research, promoting incentives for institutions to attract, hire and retain the best health researchers and technicians.

In 2022, the first Multiannual Evaluation and Financing of Clinical Academic Centers was carried out, coordinated by the FCT, which delegated it to the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) together with the Central Administration of the Health System, I.P. (ACSS), in close coordination with the Agency for the Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES), the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) and in consultation with the National Council of Clinical Academic Centers (CNCAC).