What to expect from the new "super agency" for Science?

Another researcher interviewed by Observador, who serves on the management of a Research and Development Unit (UID), tells the same story: "From our perspective, from a personal perspective, there was no discussion whatsoever." During multiple statements given to the press, Minister Fernando Alexandre emphasizes that he never discussed the details of the newly announced reform with any of the community representatives. However, together with the Secretary of State, he confirms that "all the players " from the agencies involved were involved in the process .

If these researchers and members of the scientific community had had the opportunity to meet with those responsible for the FCT's operations, one of their main complaints would be the lack of predictability. Sofia Lisboa emphasizes the successive and constant "delays." "There's a competition, which is launched, we have a period during which evaluations are conducted, juries meet, and then there are holidays that prevent things from functioning normally. In August, they receive the results, followed by preliminary hearings, and only in September or October do they sign the contracts—but only in December or January do they begin to receive payments, retroactive to the date they signed the contract," says the association leader.

Thus, he explains that when a researcher signs such a contract with the FCT—starting this year, they will be signed with the host institutions—and is obligated to exclusivity, " they end up going three or four months without pay and unable to work ." This was one of the topics already addressed by ABIC in the meeting with the Ministry, aiming to "limit this difficulty." Institutions have a similar perception. "Evaluation cycle after evaluation cycle, whenever things go well, there's no guarantee they'll go well the next time. In other words, it seems there's no institutional memory ," they admit.

"How can we not leverage this and suddenly do things that leave everyone perplexed? The issue of surprise in itself is already a bad thing, because science needs to be prepared in advance, and there needs to be planning and understanding of what constitutes architectural stability, but above all, it leads to decisions that are perceived to be destructive of previously achieved processes," a researcher told Observador.

ABIC also emphasizes that there is a human resources problem within the FCT. " They need more staff, a service desk, a phone line , anything, because it's not enough for us to exchange emails and wait desperately for information about processes and clarification needs," explains Sofia Lisboa. This topic raised by the scholarship holders' representative fits into a problem that has been frequently discussed by researchers: the lack of transparency.

When the country shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FCT followed suit and closed its in-person services. When the country began reopening, the FCT kept its counter closed, and it has remained so ever since. Until the end of 2024, the only way to contact the institution—whether about urgent matters or everyday questions—was via email, which sometimes led to months of silence and waiting for a response. " There has to be a way to have direct contact . And so that requires more staff, whether to respond to emails or provide direct support by phone, etc."

Sofia Lisboa also mentions that there are many problems associated with the FCT that, in fact, are not the result of its operations, but rather "political decisions." "The FCT often doesn't respond to us, or we talk to the FCT, and it ends up being something that not even the FCT can resolve. There needs to be a political decision saying yes ," adds the president of ABIC. An example of one of these topics included in the scholarship holders' association's list of demands—and which will be discussed at a second meeting scheduled for September—is the Scientific Research Career Statute (ECIC), approved in the last legislative session .

"We have a new ECIC approved, and now we need to know the timeline for doctoral students to be hired under this Statute with an employment contract and without a grant. Because that's what's stipulated in the ECIC, which was approved by the previous government," says Sofia Lisboa. Thus, with the dissolution of the FCT and the implementation of the Agency for Research and Innovation, she admits that " it could be a good excuse for delay ." She also emphasizes that, with the aggregation of research and innovation, "it will be much easier" to allocate funds to a "series of immediate interests in applied science" rather than to pending matters.