First ERC-Portugal event held at the University of Lisbon
The first event dedicated to FCT’s ERC-Portugal Program took place at the Rectory of the University of Lisbon on December 2. The meeting was attended by Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), and the Secretary of State for Science, Ana Paiva, in a session with more than 150 participants.
Opening the session were the Rector of the University of Lisbon, Luís Ferreira, the President of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Madalena Alves, and the Secretary of State for Science, Ana Paiva. Luís Ferreira welcomed the participants, pointing out that the institution he heads, which hosted the event, represents 25% of the Studentships ERC currently awarded. Madalena Alves referred to the recent increase in the number of grants awarded under this program, considering that it represents a growth in the “capacity and ambition” of science in Portugal.
The Secretary of State for Science, Ana Paiva, stressed the importance of strong collaboration between all the member states of the European Union, at a time when “science and research are more important than ever” and that “only through science can Europe reach its full potential”.
Maria Leptin, mentioned the need to strengthen curiosity-driven research, which is typically funded by the ERC. Although it may not have immediate results, it has been through it that humanity has solved great challenges and problems and Maria Leptin highlighted its transformative power.
The round table, which included the Secretary of State for Science, the President of the ERC and researchers André Martins, from the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon and Helena Freitas, from the University of Coimbra, debated the topic “Linking Science and Policy for a Carbon Neutral and Digital Europe“. The president of the FCT moderated this panel, which promoted reflection on the link between science and politics, with a view to the future in a more digital and environmentally sustainable Europe.
The session continued with a presentation by Francisco Santos, vice-president of FCT, who detailed the different incentives and services of the ERC-Portugal Program, also summarizing Portugal’s participation in the ERC and highlighting the substantial increase in funding for national projects during the Horizon Europe program. Vice President Francisco Santos also presented the various funding instruments that FCT makes available to the scientific community.
The first ERC-Portugal event was broadcast online and is available for viewing on FCT’s YouTube channel:
See the FCT website for more information on the ERC-Portugal Program.
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