FCT reaches 510 million euros of financial execution in 2019

FCT's financial execution in 2019 reached 510 million euros, according to provisional data from the monthly report of January 8, 2020, of which 496 million euros represent investment and 13.8 million euros operating expenditure. This is an increase of 33% over the last 5 years (Figure 1).

  Figure 1 - Evolution of FCT's financial execution (Operating and Investment) between 2015 and 2019 in M€

FCT's investment in 2019 is mainly focused on support for advanced training (20% of the total), the employment of doctoral researchers (21%) and the enhancement of scientific institutions (25%), as shown in Figure 2.

 Figure 2- Investment by area of activity between 2015 and 2019 as a total percentage

Investment in recent years has been associated with the following programs (Figure 3):

1. Advanced Training - Studentships supported directly by the FCT, with the total number of new PhD Studentships supported annually rising from 971 in 2015 to around 1700 in 2019 (75% growth), reaching 1750 new Studentships in 2020 and 1950 new Studentships by 2023;

2. Scientific Employment - hiring doctoral researchers in all areas of knowledge through a set of diversified support lines, in order to strengthen scientific capacity and presence in European and international networks;

3. Institutions - support for R&D Units, Collaborative Laboratories, S&T Infrastructures and Equipment;

4. R&D projects - supported by FCT and the Portugal 2020 program, in all scientific areas and in strategic thematic areas;

5. International Cooperation - participation in S&T organizations and international partnerships;

6. Advanced computing, access to publications and communications and other support - the Scientific Community Support Fund (FACC), access to the B-On Library, the Science, Technology and Society Network (RCTS), investment in strengthening the FCT's information and communication systems, and others.

 Figure 3 - Investment by area of activity between 2015 and 2019 in M€