Clinical Academic Centres

The activity to be developed by the CACs and the funding to be granted by FCT have the following objectives:

1. Support the basis for inter-institutional cooperation, cross-cutting activities, common structures, and the organization and management that underpin cooperation among the institutions that make up the CAC;
2. To support the development, internationalization, and sustained and cooperative progress of high quality clinical and translational research and biomedical innovation activity;
3. To support the promotion of research and development (R&D), innovation and cooperation activities between healthcare units, scientific and academic institutions and other organizations operating in this field;
4. To create the basis for enhancing the potential of clinical and translational research to create added value for patients, for the health system, and for higher education in health, for the continuous improvement and excellence of health care delivery;
5. Stimulate biomedical innovation and knowledge economy activities in the health area;
6. Stimulating ways to create qualified employment and scientific jobs in clinical and translational research areas, promoting incentives for institutions to attract, hire, and retain the best health researchers and technicians.

In 2022, the first Pluri-annual Evaluation and Funding of the Clinical Academic Centers took place, coordinated by the FCT, which delegated the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) together with the Central Administration of the Health System, I.P. (ACSS), in close articulation with the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES), the General Directorate of Health (DGS) and after hearing the National Council of Clinical Academic Centers (CNCAC).