Regulations for awarding Collaborative Laboratory titles approved

The Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education has approved the Regulations for Awarding the title of Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB). The regulation will come into force following its publication in the Official Gazette, and the first phase of the Call for the recognition and award of the Collaborative Laboratory title will begin in September.

Collaborative Laboratories should be set up as private non-profit associations or companies, made up of companies, research units, Associate Laboratories, higher education institutions, technology interface centers and other intermediate institutions, technology centers, business associations and other relevant partners from the productive, social or cultural fabric, whether national or international, such as scientific institutions, state laboratories, local authorities and institutions associated with local organizations, hospital and healthcare units, museums, archives or social institutions. Their main objective is to directly and indirectly create qualified jobs and scientific employment in Portugal by implementing research and innovation agendas aimed at creating economic and social value.

CoLABs must respond to the challenge of densifying the national territory in terms of knowledge-based activities, by increasingly consolidating forms of collaboration between science, technology and higher education institutions and the economic and social fabric, namely companies, the hospital and health system, cultural institutions and social organizations.

Supporting documents for applications will be published on the FCT website after the regulation has been published in the Diário da República.