President of FCT met with JPI Oceans Executive Director

The President of the Board of Directors of FCT, Madalena Alves, and the Executive Director of JPI Oceans, Thorsten Kiefer, had a meeting on 24 March, in which they discussed the portuguese participation in the many implementation instruments (Joint Actions) of JPI Oceans - Joint Programming Initiative, Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans.

During the meeting, the knowledge hubs, the joint transnational calls and the sharing of research infrastructures, such as access to research vessels for the implementation of joint European activities that allow the implementation of the JPI Oceans Research and Innovation Strategy, were addressed. It was also mentioned the relevant and fruitful collaboration between FCT and the Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, I. P. (IPMA) in monitoring the national involvement in this joint programming initiative, the only one of the 10 existing with established legal structure, which allows Portugal to have an active contribution to the activities of JPI Oceans, with a relevant benefit to the national scientific community and society in general. Taking into account the current changes in the European Research Area, namely with the implementation of the European Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership and the European Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, it was also discussed the relevance of JPI Oceans in the current Framework Programme of the European Union.

As the next edition of the Science 2023 meeting will focus on the theme "Ocean and Waters: Enhancing the Contribution of Science", the President of FCT also took the opportunity to invite the Executive Director of JPI Oceans to attend the next national science meeting in Portugal, which will take place on 5, 6 and 7 July, 2023, at the Santiago University Campus,  Aveiro University.

JPI Oceans, created in 2011, is a platform for coordination and strategic integration, at the political level and not purely scientific, open to all EU member states and associated countries investing in marine and maritime research. Currently, this initiative integrates 20 countries, covering all European ocean basins. Portugal participates in JPI Oceans since its foundation, through the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, having as national delegates officers of the FCT and IPMA, entities, respectively, with competences in the area of science and technology funding and in the scientific area of the ocean.