INESC TEC Rated Excellent in FCT R&D Unit Assessment

The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) has released the results of the 2023/2024 Assessment of R&D Units, in which INESC TEC was awarded the rating of Excellent – the highest classification available.

According to João Claro, President of INESC TEC, “this is a significant recognition of the work and dedication of our entire community. We warmly congratulate and thank the whole team for their contribution to this remarkable result.”

With 358 PhD researchers included in its application team, INESC TEC is the second largest institution nationwide to receive the Excellent rating. This “confirms our commitment to building critical mass in partnership with our four associated Higher Education Institutions, and to maintaining a multidisciplinary team strongly focused on combining science and impact,” added João Claro.

The evaluation panels – comprising more than 315 international reviewers from 35 countries and organised into 29 evaluation panels – awarded 135 Excellent, 117 Very Good, and 61 Good ratings. Overall, the results reflect a highly positive outlook for Portuguese science.

This periodic FCT assessment also determines the funding allocated to R&D units under the next Multiannual Funding Programme, in this case covering the 2025-2029 period. Units rated Excellent or Very Good will receive a total of €609.8 million in funding, €110 million of which constitutes extraordinary support through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), with execution scheduled until 30 June 2026.

Seven R&D units – including INESC TEC – will each receive more than €10 million to support their research over the next five years. Excluding PRR funding, only two units surpass the €10 million mark: the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health of the University of Porto (i3S), with €12.6M, and INESC TEC, with €11M.

The assessment covered the scientific and technological activities of the R&D units between January 2018 and December 2023, as well as their teams, goals, strategy, activity plans, and organisational structures for the 2025-2029 period, as detailed on the FCT website.