OPEN CALL – FCT | Scientific Research and Technological Development Projects

CEI-Iscte informs the opening of the FCT call for Scientific Research and Technological Development Projects in all Scientific Domains (which will be open from 8 February to 10 March 2022).

We ask all interested researchers to inform CEI-Iscte, by February 10 via email (cei@iscte-iul.pt), their theme and project idea.

Funding

The call will support projects in all scientific fields that fall within the following typologies:

a. Scientific Research and Technological Development (IC&DT) projects addressing original and relevant scientific issues or concepts, with international standards as reference, that contribute significantly to the advancement of knowledge and that result in scientific output indicators during the course of the project.
In this typology, projects may take the form of “individual projects”, presented by a single beneficiary, or “co-promoted projects”, presented by two or more beneficiaries. Projects shall have a maximum duration of 36 months (extendable for a maximum of 12 months in duly justified cases).
The maximum funding limit per project is 250 thousand euros.

b. Exploratory research projects (PeX) corresponding to scientific or technological research aimed at exploring ideas or concepts considered as presenting originality and/or innovation potential.
In this type of project, the projects shall be “single projects”, presented by a single beneficiary. Projects shall have a maximum duration of 18 months (extendable for a maximum of 6 months in duly justified cases).
The maximum funding limit per project is 50 thousand euros.

The budget allocation for each type of project will be of 55.000.000 euros and 20.000.000 euros, respectively.

Projects approved will be financed by national funds through the FCT budget.

Recipients and Eligibility

Research teams from the following Portuguese entities may apply for funding

• Non-corporate entities of the R&I System, namely:
  a. Higher education institutions, their institutes and R&D units;;
  b. State or international laboratories based in Portugal;
  c. Private non-profit institutions whose main objective is R&D activities;
  d. Other public and private non-profit institutions developing or participating in scientific research activities.
• Companies of any nature and under any legal form, as long as they are part of R&TD projects led by non-business entities of the R&I System.

The Principal Investigator (PI) of the application:

• Must identify a Co-Investigator in Charge (Co-IR) who will substitute him/her in his/her absences, shortcomings and impediments;
• Only one application, as PI, may be submitted to this call;
• Cannot be a Co-IR for an application in the present call;
• Cannot be a PI on a project approved in the previous edition of the “Call for R&D Projects in all Scientific Domains”;
• Cannot be a PI on an application submitted in the previous edition of the “Call for R&D Projects in All Scientific Domains” that has obtained a project merit lower than 5,00;
• Must have at least 35% time dedicated to the project.

The Co-Investigator in Charge (Co-IR) of the application:

• Cannot submit any application as a PI in this call;
• May only participate in one application, as Co-IR, in this call;
• Must have at least 25% of time dedicated to the project.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted, in English, from February 8, 2022 to 5 p.m., Lisbon time, on March 10, 2022, in the appropriate electronic form through the FCT calls portal.

The Declaration of Commitment of the applicants must be submitted on the FCT calls portal by 5 pm, Lisbon time, on 24 March 2022.

For more information we recommend the reading of the call documentation, namely: the FCT Projects Regulations, the Guidelines for Completing the Application Form (available soon), the Guide for Peer Reviewers (available soon) and the Ethics Self-Assessment Guide.

Evaluation

The evaluation will be carried out by international panels of independent experts, affiliated to foreign institutions and of recognized merit and competence, constituted by scientific field, scientific area and scientific sub-area. Each proposal will be evaluated according to the following criteria

• Scientific merit (A1) and innovative character (A2) of the project from an international perspective;
• Scientific merit of the PI (B1) and the research team (B2);
• Quality and feasibility of the proposed work programme and achievement indicators, as well as the budget reasonability;

The merit of the project is obtained through: MP = 0.40 (0.50 A1+ 0.50 A2) + 0.30 (0.50 B1+ 0.50 B2) + 0.30 C

For the selection and funding decision, projects obtaining a final PM score equal to or higher than 7,00 are considered eligible and subject to a ranking.

The PI of the applications that obtain a PM below 5,00 are barred from submitting an application, as PI, in the next edition of the call for R&D projects in all scientific fields.

Learn more about it here (portuguese version).

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