FCT presented the Atlas of R&D Units

The FCT presented the Atlas of R&D Units (Atlas of Research Units 2022) during the conference "25 Years of FCT in Science: Opportunities and Challenges," which took place at the Thalia Theater on January 14. The conference opened a cycle of 12 sessions that will mark the 25th anniversary of FCT this year, addressing important issues for the future of science in Portugal and Europe.

The Atlas of R&D Units is a publication by FCT that compiles information on the 312 R&D Units selected for funding in the latest FCT evaluation process, including data on their area of activity, the work carried out, the number of PhD researchers, among others. These Units were part of the last evaluation process, carried out in the 2017/2018 period, in which a total of €531 million in funding was approved for the 2020-2023 period.

R&D Units may be entities integrated into different universities or polytechnics, or they may be partnerships between universities, or they may have independent status and operate autonomously. Overall, around 19,000 PhD researchers carry out research activities in R&D Units funded by the FCT.

The evaluation is based on an analysis of the report on activities carried out in previous years and the plan for the following period, supplemented by direct contact with researchers and visits to the units. The evaluation of R&D units has been carried out by the FCT since 1996, every 4-5 years, using panels of evaluators with international experts in areas such as Exact Sciences; Natural Sciences; Health Sciences; Engineering Sciences and Technologies; Social Sciences; Arts and Humanities; and Thematic Areas.

The assessment of scientific quality and the analysis of the relevance, merit, and timeliness of the activity carried out by researchers associated with the R&D unit's application determine the quality rating to be assigned to the Units. The overall rating of "Excellent," "Very Good," and "Good" assigns two types of funding to the Units:

– Base funding, indexed to the overall classification of the unit and the weighting of PhD researchers working there;

– Programmatic Funding, allocated based on a proposal from the respective evaluation panel, depending on the assessment of the activities planned by the R&D Unit and the identification of specific needs.

Through the process of evaluating and funding the Units, FCT aims to promote the development and enhancement of the National Science and Technology System (SNCT) in all areas of knowledge and its territorial strengthening.

APPENDIX:
Atlas of Research Units 2022