FCT reaches 510 million euros of financial execution in 2019

The financial execution of FCT in 2019 reached 510 million euros, according to the provisional data of the monthly report of January 8, 2020, in which 496 million euros represent the investment and 13.8 million euros the operating expenditure. This is a growth of 33% over the last 5 years (Figure 1).

  Figure 1 - Evolution of FCT financial execution (Operating and Investment) between 2015 and 2019 in M€

FCT investment in 2019 focuses mainly on support for advanced training (20% of the total), employment of doctoral researchers (21%) and enhancement of scientific institutions (25%), as shown in Figure 2.

 Figure 2- Evolution of Investment by area of operation, between 2015 and 2019 in total percentage

The investment in recent years is associated with the following programs (Figure 3):

1. Advanced Training - Studentships directly supported by FCT, with the total number of new doctoral Studentships supported annually rising from 971 in 2015 to about 1700 in 2019 (75% growth), expected to reach 1750 new Studentships in 2020 and 1950 new Studentships by 2023;

2. Scientific Employment - hiring doctorate researchers in all areas of knowledge through a set of diversified lines of support in order to strengthen scientific capacity and presence in European and international networks;

3. Institutions - support for R&D Collaborative Laboratories Units, S&T Infrastructures and Equipment;

4. R&D Projects - supported by FCT and the Portugal 2020 program, in all scientific areas and in strategic thematic areas;

5. International Cooperation - participation in S&T organizations and international partnerships;

6. Advanced computing, access to publications and communications and other support - Scientific Community Support Fund (FACC), access to the B-On Library, the Science, Technology and Society Network (RCTS), investment in strengthening FCT information and communication systems, and others.

 Figure 3 - Evolution of Investment by area of operation, between 2015 and 2019 in M€