Editorial of the new newsletter

The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and CEIS20

The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC) is an organic research and teaching unit that, according to its articles of association, “promotes interdisciplinary research and training, encouraging the fruitful intersection between fields of knowledge and the aggregation of teams to confirm the international capacity of the scientific research of the University of Coimbra, and contributes to the implementation of the strategic decisions of the University of Coimbra in the field of R&D.” In order to fulfil its mission, the IIIUC has developed and supported various strategies and activities, which have already been described and are available on its website.

The purpose of this text is to publicise (or recall) the IIIUC activities that bolster and support CEIS20, and how the CEIS20 R&D Unit reinforces the IIIUC and the University of Coimbra.

Having spent thirteen years at the IIIUC, six years as Director and the rest as a member of the Scientific Board, and having worked with three CEIS20 Directorates, there is no point in going into detail here, nor in explaining the bureaucratic and administrative aspects, but rather in providing information that may be useful as a basis for reflection on the future, which is already tomorrow.

In summary, the interaction between the IIIUC and CEIS20 includes institutional support and framework, doctoral studies, research community and interdisciplinary research.

With regard to institutional support and framework activities, it should be stressed that within the organisation and functioning of the University of Coimbra, the IIIUC is the organic unit that houses the human resources (administrative support and research community) allocated to CEIS20. This link implies the involvement of the IIIUC management in bureaucratic matters relevant to those concerned, such as authorising leave, travelling, renewing and signing employment contracts, etc. This includes the important process of evaluating the activities of doctoral researchers recruited under Decree-Law No. 57, which is the responsibility of the IIIUC’s Scientific Board, after hearing the opinions of external reviewers. The IIIUC management and support team are also in constant contact with CEIS20 to discuss the conditions for hosting research and support teams, particularly at Casa das Ardenas and the building housing funded projects such as the ERC ReSEED project in Rua Pinheiro Chagas.

The Doctoral Programme in Contemporary Studies, coordinated by CEIS20 and recently accredited by the A3es agency for a further six years, is one of the eight doctoral programmes of the IIIUC and is undoubtedly one that has required ongoing coordination between the IIIUC and CEIS20. The support of the IIIUC’s Deputy Director for Academic Affairs has been crucial in this process. The activities carried out with IIIUC funding, such as seminars, workshops and missions, generate new knowledge that is disseminated in the theses completed and the publications produced, thus promoting CEIS20 research. There are currently 71 students enrolled on the Doctoral Programme in Contemporary Studies, 68% of whom are international students who are expected to successfully complete their doctoral research and to develop high levels of research, critical thinking and transferable skills throughout their doctoral careers. In addition to the training provided by the doctoral programme itself, the IIIUC reinforces this training by offering doctoral candidates, within the framework of the Doctoral Schools (DSs), various activities to strengthen and promote the development of the scientific and transversal skills that are crucial for a doctoral career.

Also within the framework of the DSs, initiatives have been organised to share best practices in doctoral supervision among the community of supervisors, potentially reducing the number of dropouts and contributing to the professional and personal success of doctoral candidates. The IIIUC has also organised and made available to the entire CEIS20 research community a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening research, promoting the internationalisation, interdisciplinarity, funding and research quality, namely: Áreas Estratégicas@UC, GendER@UC, ERC@UC, MarieCurie@UC, FormaçõesiiiUC – Tools to support research, Nature Masterclasses, Digital tools to support research, funding for interdisciplinary seed projects, funding for activities to promote scientific culture, participation in various science communication activities (European Researchers’ Night, Doctoral thesis in 3 minutes, science fairs, science exhibitions, and other activities).

As an R&D unit, CEIS20 follows the evaluation and funding rules of the Foundation for Science and Technology. The IIIUC management has supported some of the initiatives and decisions of the coordination of this R&D unit in preparation for the next evaluation cycle. It should be noted that the direct path to excellence is well mapped out by the entire CEIS20 community, since this path to success will be enabled by the already demonstrated capacity for restructuring and internal reflection, the quality of the CEIS20 scientific community, the quality of the activities undertaken, the scientific production, the projects already funded and those to be funded, the increased internationalisation, and the appropriate institutional support from the UC.

As a research unit of excellence, CEIS20 is essential and absolutely necessary to strengthen the dialogue and the fruitful intersection between the research areas that form the cornerstone of interdisciplinarity at the University of Coimbra.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank, both institutionally and personally, the collaboration and support of all the CEIS20 members. They have been fundamental to the activities of the IIIUC and have made a significant contribution to research at the University of Coimbra.

Cláudia Cavadas
Director, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (2011-2013 and 2019-2023)
Vice-Rector for Research, University of Coimbra (2019-2023)