Impact of FCT funding on research careers in Portugal

The FCT analyzed the professional careers of 5,800 former doctoral fellows, whose Studentships between 1995 and 2012, at various points after obtaining their degrees. This analysis gave rise to the study "Impact of FCT funding on research careers in Portugal – professional trajectories of former FCT doctoral fellows," which aims to contribute to a broader perspective on the situation of FCT-funded doctoral students.

The success rate is one of the conclusions worth highlighting: the percentage of scholarship recipients who obtained their degree is over 88%, a high figure comparable to that of other European Union countries. The percentage of scholarship recipients who obtained their degree is slightly higher among women, as well as among younger scholarship recipients at the start of the Studentship.

The study also concludes that, overall, 60% of former doctoral fellows were engaged in R&D activities within the National Science and Technology System (SNCT). Five years after obtaining their degree, 65% were teachers/researchers and 29% were fellows, but the professional situation varies significantly depending on the start date of the Studentship the time elapsed after the degree. Most of the PhDs who had Studentship in the 1990s are currently teachers (75%). The data also reveal that, among PhDs in the SNCT, the now defunct Studentships and the current Scientific Employment Stimulus Program (both promoted by the FCT) play a fundamental role in the transition of PhDs to teaching or research positions. The majority (90%) of former FCT scholarship holders are involved in R&D in the higher education sector, which is in line with the situation for the SNCT as a whole.

In Portugal, the most recent figures from the Careers of Doctorate Holders (CDH) survey, conducted by DGEEC (for 2020), reveal that the unemployment rate among PhD holders is very low (2%). More than 80% of all PhD holders residing in our country were engaged in R&D activities: 68% of whom had permanent contracts and 32% of whom had fixed-term contracts.

The awarding of Studentships Calls for applications is one of the core activities of the FCT, particularly Studentships , and is essential for the expansion of the SNCT. Since its creation in 1997, the FCT has awarded more than 30,000 Studentships, an investment made through the State Budget and European Structural Funds that exceeds €2.3 billion and corresponds to about 30% of the FCT's total investment. This investment in advanced training has resulted in a very significant increase in the number of doctorates completed in Portugal, with a cumulative total exceeding 35,000 in 2021, to which can be added doctorates completed abroad and recognized in the country.

The results of the study "Impact of FCT funding on research careers in Portugal – professional trajectories of former FCT doctoral fellows" are available in two documents, the final report and a summary of the main results.

The President of FCT, Madalena Alves, stated:

“This work has helped to fill the information gap on the impact of FCT funding on doctoral training, as there was no analysis of the success of FCT-funded fellows in obtaining their doctoral degrees, nor of their subsequent career paths. The growing maturity and attractiveness of the SNCT is evident, illustrated by the existence of fewer Studentships abroad, greater international and national cooperation, and more foreign students. The results demonstrate the efficient use of public funds, including European structural funds, with high success rates in obtaining degrees that are comparable to those of other EU countries.”