The Policy Briefs from the 3rd edition of Science4Policy are now available

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Center for Public Policy Planning and Evaluation (PLANAPP) have released the Policy Briefs for the 3rd edition (2025) of Science4Policy (S4P)—Science for Public Policy Studies Competition—thereby reinforcing their commitment to promoting public policies grounded in scientific evidence.

The documents now published are part of the Policy Briefs Library, making the results of the three editions of the Science4Policy competition accessible, as well as the documents produced as part of the Roundtables. By making this content available in a single location, PLANAPP aims to establish this Library as a platform for knowledge exchange, bridging the gap between scientific research and the needs of public decision-making and fostering dialogue among the public administration, the scientific community, and other stakeholders in the public policy ecosystem.

Each policy brief is the result of applied research studies conducted by teams from higher education institutions and research centers, in collaboration with public administration agencies. These documents synthesize scientific evidence on specific public policy challenges, identify the main issues, and present options and recommendations for policymakers and public decision-makers. The topics cover a wide range of strategic priorities for the country, including demographic balance, reducing inequalities, digitalization, innovation, skills, resource sustainability, the climate transition, competitiveness, health, poverty, the environment, and territorial cohesion.

The 2025 edition of S4P saw the highest number of participants since the competition’s inception in 2023. Of the 60 eligible proposals, 27 applications were approved, distributed across 20 priority thematic areas defined by REPLAN —the Network of Planning and Foresight Services for Public Administration—within the framework of the Thematic Agendas of the Portugal 2030 Strategy. Organized by FCT in partnership with PLANAPP, it is part of the “Science for Public Policy” portfolio, which aims to strengthen the use of scientific knowledge in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies, fostering closer ties between the scientific community and the public administration.

This initiative is part of the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), contributing to the strengthening of the institutional capacity of the public administration and to the development of more effective, informed, and results-oriented public policies.