Some real time data

Active projects
2955

About FCT...

The mission

The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) started its operations in August 1997. It succeeds Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (JNICT). Any pre 1997 references on this site are likely to refer to JNICT.

The mission of FCT consists in continuously promoting the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge in Portugal, exploring opportunities that become available in any scientific or technological domain to attain the highest international standards in the creation of knowledge, and to stimulate their diffusion and contribution to improve education, health, environment, and the quality of life and well being of the general public.

This mission is mainly accomplished through the funding, subsequent to the evaluation of the merit, of proposals presented by institutions, research teams or individuals in public open calls, and also through cooperation agreements and other forms of support in partnership with universities and other public or private institutions, in Portugal and abroad.

The results of the activities of FCT are, in essence, the additional contributions of individuals, research groups and institutions who have been awarded financing.

Functions

  • To promote, finance, follow and evaluate science and technology institutions, programs, projects and qualification of human resources;
  • To promote and support infra-structures for scientific research and technological development;
  • To promote the diffusion of scientific and technological culture and knowledge, in particular when relevant for educational purposes in close collaboration with the agency Ciência Viva;
  • To stimulate the update, interconnection, reinforcement and availability of science and technology information sources.

Science and technology are considered in a wide sense including exact, natural and health sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

Legal standing

The new Lei orgânica was published April 27, 2007 and contains a more detailed version of current FCT functions and of the new structure of governing bodies. The members of the new governing bodies will be available below as soon as positions are filled. The new FCT estatutos were published on April 30 2007 and define its internal structure.

Governing Bodies

Council of Directors

Scientific Councils

Active Scientific Councils include a link to their own web page with a description. The membership of the others is being completed.

Statutory Auditor

Martins Pereira & Associados, SROC, in accordance with despacho nº 12880/2009.

Internal Structure

Departaments

  • Departamento de Gestão e Administração
  • Departamento de Formação dos Recursos Humanos em Ciência e Tecnologia
  • Departamento de Programas e Projectos de Investigação Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico
  • Departamento de Suporte à Rede das Instituições Científicas e Tecnológicas
  • Departamento das Relações Europeias, Bilaterais e Multilaterais

Activity Reports

Studies

Deloitte/FCT Report 18/03/2008
Compairison of several grant awarding systems from various countries including Portugal.

Activity Plans

Main action lines

As of January 2009, FCT main action lines include:

Research projects

There are circa 2450 active projects. FCT has held Calls for Projects in all scientific domains every 2 years since 2000 and every year since 2008, in addition to calls targeting specific scientific areas.

Fellowships and grants

5 years contracts for PhD holders

1000 contracts (600 in 2007+400 in 2008)

Post-doc and PhD grants

Circa 8000 grantholders

Other types of grants

These are much less significant in number.

Research units

Plurianual funding

320 R&D units

25 Associate Laboratories

11400 researchers with PhD

Data made available according to legal requirements

For a further listing of data published due to legal requirements check its index.