UC hosts signing of 31 programme contracts to promote careers in scientific research
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will receive an additional 20 million euros to hire 1,065 PhD holders.
On the 25th of March, the Senate Hall of the University of Coimbra (UC) was the venue chosen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education for the signing of programme contracts with 31 institutions (HEIs) to promote employment in scientific research careers.
The choice of the venue was not by chance. "Today we make history in the city of Coimbra" and "I don't think there could have been a better place to celebrate science and higher education", said the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education. Elvira Fortunato stressed that "these contracts are a major step forward" for the "academic and scientific development of Portugal".
The funding mechanism represents an additional allocation of 20 million euros within the framework of the 2024 State Budget. This funding will support Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in recruiting "1,065 doctoral graduates exclusively for scientific research careers (900 assistant researchers, 146 principal investigators (PIs), and 19 coordinating researchers)," according to the Ministry.
The rector of the UC, Amílcar Falcão, described this as a "very important" day, stating that "we have been able to take a step forward" in addressing "two of the main problems" universities face: funding and scientific employment.
Elvira Fortunato further added that the additional line of funding is intended to "strengthen and revitalise scientific research careers in higher education institutions, and also to promote employment stability for doctoral graduates.
The President of the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities, Paulo Jorge Ferreira, and the Vice-President of the Coordinating Council of Polytechnic HE Institutes, Jorge Conde, also recognised the importance of these programme contracts for national higher education.
Para o Reitor da UC, Amílcar Falcão, é um dia “bastante importante”, onde conseguimos “dar um passo em frente” relativamente a “dois dos principais problemas” das IES. “O financiamento, por um lado, e o emprego científico por outro”.
O financiamento em causa é um “primeiro reconhecimento de que as atividades de investigação em instituições do ensino superior devem dispor de um quadro de financiamento permanente atribuído pelo Orçamento de Estado”, salienta Elvira Fortunato. A ministra acrescentou que a linha de financiamento adicional surge para “fortalecer e rejuvenescer” a carreira de investigação científica nas IES e também para promover a estabilidade laboral de doutorados”.
O presidente do Conselho de Reitores das Universidades Portuguesas, Paulo Jorge Ferreira, e o vice-presidente do Conselho Coordenador dos Institutos Superiores Politécnicos, Jorge Conde, também reconheceram a importância destes contratos-programa para o ensino superior nacional.
