1. What’s it like to be a researcher in Portugal? Tiago Dias
New Challenges for Forest Research
Looking back, moving forward
CEF Internacional Conference
January 27th, 2017

2. What is this thing we call Science?
Outline
What is this thing we call Science?
The Portuguese Research and Development System
Job vs Career
Career Development
Research Career Statute (Decree 124/99)
FCT career development programmes
Studentships and Fellowships
Promotion of employment in scientific fields (Decree 57/2016)
Conclusions
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

3. What is this thing we call Science?
“Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence.”
Britain's Science Council
Science contributes with several outcomes to a society
increases the knowledge of the world around us;
provides economic development;
helps improving people's lives.
This is why scientists’ work is important and must be supported!
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

4. The Portuguese Research and Development System
Most scientific research takes place in R&D institutions encompassing different areas of knowledge that are evaluated and financed by FCT.
Associate Laboratories (26)
Public or non-profit private research centres.
Selected to collaborate in pursuing specific objectives within the Government’s science and technology policy, including consultation on the definition of programmes and policy instruments.
R&D Units (307)
Public or private non-profit research centres.
Public R&D Units are university-based, partnerships between several universities, or autonomous centres.
The system also includes State Laboratories (9), whose missions are to pursue specific objectives within the Government’s science and technology policy.
Altogether, more than researchers work everyday in these scientific research centres!
Launched in 1999, the title of Associate Laboratory is granted by the Ministry of Education and Science for periods of 10 years.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

5. CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

6. A career offers this, as well as
Job vs Career
A job consists on performing a daily set of tasks to earn income. It does not necessarily involve much commitment or enthusiasm.
Outstanding workplaces seeking excellence, like research labs, require employees with such features to keep their productivity high.
A career offers this, as well as
fulfillment, both personally and professionally;
the opportunity to take on more responsibility;
earn a higher rate of pay throughout the duration of work.
When employees and their work are valued, their satisfaction and productivity rises, and they are motivated to maintain or improve their good work.
A career encompasses all the experience, education and future path within a particular industry.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

7. Research Career Trends
Career Development
Research Career Trends
Past
Present
Present
Future
Researcher
Task-Based
Researcher
Entrepreneur
Researcher
Position Applicant
Researcher
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

8. Research Career Statute (Decree 124/99)
Career Development
Research Career Statute (Decree 124/99)
The Research Career Statute was approved by Law no. 124/1999, of April 20th. (Several amendments have been introduced)
Establishes the scheme applicable to all the researchers working in public research centres.
The Statute establishes a ranking structure with 3 distinct categories
Investigador-Coordenador
Investigador Principal
Investigador Auxiliar
Admissions are a direct result of international recruiting procedures.
No admissions in several years!
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

9. Studentships and Fellowships
Career Development
Studentships and Fellowships
The Research Fellowship Holder Statute was approved by Law no. 40/2004, of August 18th. (Several amendments have been introduced)
Establishes the scheme applicable to the beneficiaries of subsidies granted by private and public bodies intended to allow the exercise of scientific, technological and training activities.
The Statute covers the fellowships intended to fund
Research leading to a Masters degree and a doctoral degree, as well as post-doctoral research and advanced training;
Scientific research, technological development, experimentation, or technology and knowledge transfer, whether of initiation or updating nature, irrespective of the fellowship holder’s training level;
Initiation or updating training activities in any field, developed by the fellowship holder, within the scope of non-curricular internships.
“It is forbidden to turn to research fellowship holders to meet permanent needs of the departments.” (no. 5 of article 1)
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

10. Career Development
FCT runs several career development programmes, for post-doctoral researchers, of all nationalities, and across all research and academic fields
Ciência Programme (2006/7, 2008)
Aimed to sponsor the entry of PhD holders into the science and technology system by means of individual employment contracts;
Centred on a research project;
5-year funding (remuneration indexed to the Scientific Research Career statute);
Aimed to recruit 1,000 researchers.
Three types of FCT Investigator grants:
Starting Grant – for researchers with more than 3 and less than 8 years post-PhD experience at the time of application and an excellent track record. Prior experience of independent research is not required.
Development Grant – for researchers with an excellent track-record and significant experience of independent research (as group leaders, principal investigators on research projects or senior/corresponding authors on publications).
Consolidator Grant – for established independent researchers, with an outstanding curriculum and proof of leadership in his/her research area.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

11. Career Development
FCT runs several career development programmes, for post-doctoral researchers, of all nationalities, and across all research and academic fields
Welcome II Programme (2010)
Targeted the recruitment of European researchers to join Portuguese research institutions after work in Third Countries.
Centred on the researcher and his/her research project.
3-year funding (2 types of grants with a remuneration indexed to the Scientific Research Career statute).
The overall goal was to fund 54 researchers.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

12. Career Development
FCT runs several career development programmes, for post-doctoral researchers, of all nationalities, and across all research and academic fields
FCT Investigator Programme (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
Aimed to create a talent base of scientific leaders by recruiting the most talented and promising researchers, across all scientific areas and nationalities.
Centred on the researcher and his/her research project.
The main evaluation criterion was scientific excellence.
(Applicant’s background, career and research proposal)
5-year funding (3 types of grants).
Aimed to recruit 1,000 outstanding researchers by 2016.
(To date, only 597 FCT Investigators were selected)
Three types of FCT Investigator grants:
Starting Grant – for researchers with more than 3 and less than 8 years post-PhD experience at the time of application and an excellent track record. Prior experience of independent research is not required.
Development Grant – for researchers with an excellent track-record and significant experience of independent research (as group leaders, principal investigators on research projects or senior/corresponding authors on publications).
Consolidator Grant – for established independent researchers, with an outstanding curriculum and proof of leadership in his/her research area.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

13. Promotion of employment in scientific fields (Decree 57/2016)
Career Development
Promotion of employment in scientific fields (Decree 57/2016)
Aims to stimulate the creation of jobs in science and technology, promote the rejuvenation of institutions and enhance scientific research activities, technological development, science management and communication.
Pros
Establishes a new mechanism to recruit PhD holders based on contracts
(Full social security benefits for these researchers)
Aimed to recruit 1,000 researchers “in the immediate”.
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

14. Promotion of employment in scientific fields (Decree 57/2016)
Career Development
Promotion of employment in scientific fields (Decree 57/2016)
Aims to stimulate the creation of jobs in science and technology, promote the rejuvenation of institutions and enhance scientific research activities, technological development, science management and communication.
Cons
Application is non-mandatory
The Research Fellowship Holder Statute can still be used by the R&D Units to recruit PhD holders using Post-Doctoral Fellowships
There are no mechanisms to enable the incorporation into the research career or embody the researchers in the R&D Units
1-day to 6-year funding based on fixed-term employment contracts
Remuneration is not indexed to the Scientific Research Career statute
Transitional rule (article 23) is unfair and shameful
Can be (wrongly) exploited to create a new parallel research career
Amendments to significantly improve this Decree and fight the enormous scientific precariousness are currently being discussed at the Parliament!
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

15. Don’t forget, we ALL must keep fighting!
Conclusions
What’s it like to be a researcher in Portugal?
To work in an enthusiastic and passionate way.
To produce a lot of good research and scientific work that puts forward the country into a very competitive world.
A constant and tiresome fight for funding and recognition.
To exasperate awaiting for the changes that will put an end to precariousness.
Not everything is good, but recently
There have been some changes for the better;
There have been some promises from the Government that we can hope to be fulfilled.
But…
Don’t forget, we ALL must keep fighting!
CEF Conference - New Challenges for Forest Research: Looking Back, Moving Forward
January 27th, 2017

16. What’s it like to be a researcher in Portugal? Tiago Dias
New Challenges for Forest Research
Looking back, moving forward
CEF Internacional Conference
January 27th, 2017