The primary public funding agency for scientific research in Portugal is set to be dissolved, a move announced by the government. The agency in question is the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), established in 1998 by the then Minister of Science and Technology, Mariano Gago.
The government plans to merge the foundation with other entities under the Ministry of Education, bringing them together under the newly proposed Agency for Research and Innovation. This consolidation aims to streamline services within a ministry that Fernando Alexandre describes as having an “anachronistic structure.”
During a press conference held after the Council of Ministers meeting that approved the reform, the Minister of Education assured that funding for science will be maintained, with a four-year funding model ensuring stability, predictability, and protection for “basic fundamental research funding.”
In an interview with Antena 1 on Friday, the minister also promised that “no project will be penalized” and expressed the government’s ambition for “more science, better science.”
President of the Republic considers veto: “If in doubt…”
During a visit to the Azores on Friday, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa commented on the proposed dissolution, admitting he had reviewed the government’s presentation and noted “the impression” that the foundation was being replaced “by an agency it would be integrated into, with functions beyond those of the FCT.”
Marcelo acknowledged that the foundation was an “already very old structure” with “many aspects that needed reconsideration,” but he remarked: “Only by seeing what the new agency will do can I respond whether this dissolution is a good or bad idea.”
On the potential approval from the President, Marcelo stated that if he determines the dissolution to be “good,” he will enact the decree “without distress.”
“If in doubt about any significant point in that decree, I will ask the government to reconsider. It has happened before. I may not immediately veto. If the government insists, I could ultimately veto it, if it comes to the end of my term,” he also admitted.
The head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, admitted that the government might “invoke” targets and objectives from Brussels as a basis for the decision to dissolve the Foundation for Science and Technology, announced on Thursday.
Teresa Banha | 14:50 – 01/08/2025
PS Leader says measure is “incomprehensible” without prior dialogue
At the presentation of the PS’s candidacy for Ansião City Hall, in the district of Leiria, José Luís Carneiro stated that “reforms cannot be imposed from the top down, vertically, without dialogue with the institutions that constitute our collective life.”
“It is incomprehensible that [the government] has advanced with a reform that seeks to merge the Foundation for Science and Technology without prior dialogue with higher education institutions and researchers,” said the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, adding that he supports state reform, provided it is carried out “in dialogue.”
“The original sin”: Lack of dialogue
The President of the Organization of Scientific Workers remarked on Friday that the dissolution of the FCT suffers from the “original sin” of lacking debate with the scientific community.
Frederico Gama Carvalho stated to Lusa news agency that the government’s decision was a “unilateral initiative by the government without consulting scientific workers’ representatives.”
The leader of the Organization of Scientific Workers also pointed out that it is too early to assess the consequences of this decision for the country and reminded that in this sector “there is an ongoing underfunding and precarious employment situation for research and teaching staff in higher education.”
The president of the Organization of Scientific Workers stated today that the dissolution of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) suffers from the “original sin” of lacking debate with the scientific community.
Lusa | 20:50 – 01/08/2025
“All we know is from the media”
The common grievance of absent dialogue is echoed by the President of the National Union of Higher Education (SNESup) José Moreira, who told Lusa news agency he refrained from commenting on the government’s decision due to the lack of “additional information,” since all information he is aware of was obtained “through the media.”
The union leader mentioned only that the dissolution of the FCT “in theory, is not necessarily bad,” but the evaluation by the union will rely primarily on “the structure and mission that this new funding agency will have.”
FNE seeks more clarification (and requested a meeting)
The National Federation of Education (FNE) requested an urgent meeting with the Ministry of Education on Friday to seek further clarification on the announced reform.
Finally, the president of the Association of Scientific Research Fellows (ABIC), Sofia Lisboa, added that the measure “came as a surprise and the “lack of public consultation” is “poor policy.”
The president of the Association of Scientific Research Fellows (ABIC) expressed surprise today with the reform announced on Thursday by the Minister of Education, describing the lack of prior consultation about the measures as “poor policy.”
Lusa | 16:03 – 01/08/2025
