Science and Technology Policies in Portugal in L Ate 20Th Century and Turn of the Century

Science and Technology Policies in Portugal in late 20th century and turn of the century

Chronology outline

1936-1959 – The dictatorial regime created State Laboratories focused on research in several economic sectors. Most state funding for research was concentrated in these State Laboratories, following a tradition of direct state intervention in the production of knowkedge (Ruivo, 1991).

1965 – The government created an interministerial team to assess scientific research in the country to inform its planning. This team worked with OECD. The team produced the first science and technology indicators in Portugal (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1967 – Creation of Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (hereafter JNICT) (National Committee for Scientific and Technological Research). JNICT coordinated scientific activities and the Portuguese participation in international relations without interfering with other bodies in charge of research promotion (Gonçalves 1996).

1976 – The democratic constitution declared the responsibility of the State in promoting science and technology towards the development of the country (Gonçalves 1996).

1976 – Creation of the National Institute of Scientific Research (INIC) with the aim of contributing to formulate, coordinate and execute the national scientific policy, namely by coordinating university research. 100 research centers were ratified and 300 grant holders were integrated in research. INIC was extinct in 1992 (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1979 – The Parliament approved the State Authorities Act of the Ministry of Science and Culture (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1979 – The education reform “Veiga Simão”, proposed in 1973 and taking effect in 1979, expanded the higher education system, created new universities, established the legal recognition of the equivalence of doctoral degrees obtained abroad, and restructured the career path of academic staff, whereby academic staff in universities was obliged to undertake teaching and research (Heitor et al. 2014).

1980 – Decree establishing the career of scientific research (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1988 – The Parliament approved the Law of Scientific Research and Technological Development. It stated that, by the year 2000, the budget for research and development should reach 2.5% of the gross domestic product.

1990-1993 - Program CIENCIA (negotiated between the Portuguese State and the European Community) became the main source of funding for science and technology in Portugal (Gonçalves 1996). This program supported training, including around 3000 fellowships (half of which were PhD level), and physical infrastructure (Heitor et al 2914).

1995 - The Portuguese government created the Ministry of Science and Technology. The respective State Authorities Act was approved in 1996 and the JNICT was extinguished (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1995-1999 – The public funding for university-based research units increased from 7,5 million to 25,5 million Euros (Heitor et al. 2014).

1996 – First external peer-review assessment of research and development units, whose results determined the attribution of pluriannual funding. First external assessment of the State Laboratories (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

1997 - The government launched the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) within the Ministry of Science. The Foundation was responsible for developing, evaluating and funding scientific research.

1999 – Legal regime of research institutions. It included the creation of large research centres called “associated laboratories” that benefited from ten-year funding contracts with FCT. These centers were endowed with a large degree of autonomy, receiving direct funding from the state.

2001 -Program supporting the reform of the State Laboratories (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2004 – Launch of B-on Scientific Library online (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2006 – Public funding for research and development reached 1% of the GDP (Heitor et al 2014).

2007 – FCT assessed the research and development units (State Laboratories not included) (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2007-2008 – Programs CIÊNCIA conferred individual research contracts to PhD holders through international tenders (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2008 – International peer-review assessment of the Associated Laboratories (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2012 – Program “FCT Researcher” by which FCT recruited PhDs based on their innovation, independence and leadership in their respective research areas (Rodrigues and Heitor 2015).

2012 – FCT PhD Programs were launched, aiming at bringing together higher education institutions, research centers and companies (FCT 2017).

REFERENCES

FCT (2017). Programas de doutoramento FCT. Accessed 16 July 2017.

Gonçalves, M. E. (1996). The politics of science policy in the periphery of Europe: the case of Portugal. Science, Technology & Society, 1(2): 291-310.

Heitor, M.; Horta, H.; Mendonça, J. (2014). Developing human capital and research capacity: science policies promoting brain gain. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 82: 6-22.

Rodrigues, M.L. & Heitor, M. (org) (2015) 40 Anos de políticas de ciência e ensino superior. Coimbra: Almedina.

Ruivo, B. (1998). As políticas de ciência e tecnologia e o sistema de investigação. Lisboa: Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda.