Collaborative Laboratories
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PRESENTATION OF 26 Collaborative Laboratories Recognized by the FCT and monitored by the ANI Collaborative Laboratories and risk sharing in science-employment relationship projects of international relevance, with an effective im- Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, pact on society, stimulating the creation of qualified em- Technology and Higher Education ployment in Portugal. July 2019 Also under the “Science Law”, it is intended that the Col- laborative Laboratories reinforce the current structure of technological interface centres and other intermediary he process launched in recent years to stimulate institutions in Portugal, diversifying and complementing diversification and institutional innovation, by intro- the existing structure and the performance of R&D units Tducing the concept of “Collaborative-Laboratory”, and Associate Laboratories, with the objective of stimula- has as main goal the creation, directly and indirectly, of ting the active participation of the scientific and academic qualified employment in Portugal, in close association with system in the understanding and resolution of complex the social and economic valorisation of knowledge. The and large-scale problems, which are generally not capa- programme has been implemented through the selec- ble of being solved within a single scientific, technological tion, both competitive and after evaluation by internatio- or institutional discipline. They imply the coordination of nal experts, of research and innovation agendas geared different scales and a business, social and cultural inter- towards the creation of economic and social value, inclu- vention to implement effective solutions with socio-econo- ding processes of internationalisation of national scientific mic impact. The Collaborative Laboratories, thus, have a complementary and supplementary role to the R&D units, and technological capacity, relevant intervention area(s) including Associated Laboratories. and conducting R&D activities that enhance synergies with scientific and higher education institutions, in particular in In this context, the development and promotion of Colla- the context of specialised, vocational or advanced training borative Laboratories should be encouraged within the programmes in close collaboration with social, economic framework of mobilising research and innovation agendas and cultural partners. and programmes of international relevance and national impact, duly agreed between universities, polytechnics, In the summer of 2019, 26 laboratories were set up, as R&D units and the associated laboratories, State labora- described in the following table, which correspond to ini- tories, and the social, cultural and economic stakeholders, tiatives in various areas of knowledge and of regional or involving, in particular, companies, intermediary and know- national scope. ledge transfer institutions, including engineering and tech- nology centres, towards a compromise with an effective The main challenge that Collaborative Laboratories must “Commitment to Knowledge and Science”, that encoura- address is the effective densification of the national ter- ges skilled employment and the creation of economic and ritory in terms of knowledge-based activities, through a social value, as defined under the “Interface Programme”. growing institutionalisation of forms of collaboration be- tween science, technology and higher education insti- The agendas should be the result of a joint and collabo- tutions and economic and social stakeholders, including rative effort between public and private researchers and businesses, the hospital and health care system, cultural technicians, in close collaboration with citizens and social institutions and social organisations. organisations, adopting a matrix that crosses specialisa- tion priorities with technologies and scientific knowledge of Collaborative Laboratories should therefore, and in accor- a cross-cutting nature and defining a framework for the dance with the “Science Law” (i.e., Decree Law 60/2019 of allocation of public and private funding for science and in- the 16th of May 2019), consolidate and promote the capa- novation. The aim is to mobilise the productive, social and city and potential of the scientific, academic and business cultural sectors in order to facilitate and strengthen the communities given the opportunity to link knowledge with qualification of the population at territorial level by stimu- welfare and social and economic development in Portugal. lating skilled employment, attracting direct foreign invest- It is the opportunity for scientific and academic institutions, ment to higher added value activities and converging with in close collaboration with economic, social and cultural the European average in terms of public and private R&D sectors, to contribute to the development, in Portugal, of investment effort. Collaborative Laboratories and risk sharing in science-employment relationship projects of international relevance, with an effective im- Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, pact on society, stimulating the creation of qualified em- Technology and Higher Education ployment in Portugal. July 2019 Also under the “Science Law”, it is intended that the Col- laborative Laboratories reinforce the current structure of technological interface centres and other intermediary he process launched in recent years to stimulate institutions in Portugal, diversifying and complementing diversification and institutional innovation, by intro- the existing structure and the performance of R&D units Tducing the concept of “Collaborative-Laboratory”, and Associate Laboratories, with the objective of stimula- has as main goal the creation, directly and indirectly, of ting the active participation of the scientific and academic qualified employment in Portugal, in close association with system in the understanding and resolution of complex the social and economic valorisation of knowledge. The and large-scale problems, which are generally not capa- programme has been implemented through the selec- ble of being solved within a single scientific, technological tion, both competitive and after evaluation by internatio- or institutional discipline. They imply the coordination of nal experts, of research and innovation agendas geared different scales and a business, social and cultural inter- towards the creation of economic and social value, inclu- vention to implement effective solutions with socio-econo- ding processes of internationalisation of national scientific mic impact. The Collaborative Laboratories, thus, have a complementary and supplementary role to the R&D units, and technological capacity, relevant intervention area(s) including Associated Laboratories. and conducting R&D activities that enhance synergies with scientific and higher education institutions, in particular in In this context, the development and promotion of Colla- the context of specialised, vocational or advanced training borative Laboratories should be encouraged within the programmes in close collaboration with social, economic framework of mobilising research and innovation agendas and cultural partners. and programmes of international relevance and national impact, duly agreed between universities, polytechnics, In the summer of 2019, 26 laboratories were set up, as R&D units and the associated laboratories, State labora- described in the following table, which correspond to ini- tories, and the social, cultural and economic stakeholders, tiatives in various areas of knowledge and of regional or involving, in particular, companies, intermediary and know- national scope. ledge transfer institutions, including engineering and tech- nology centres, towards a compromise with an effective The main challenge that Collaborative Laboratories must “Commitment to Knowledge and Science”, that encoura- address is the effective densification of the national ter- ges skilled employment and the creation of economic and ritory in terms of knowledge-based activities, through a social value, as defined under the “Interface Programme”. growing institutionalisation of forms of collaboration be- tween science, technology and higher education insti- The agendas should be the result of a joint and collabo- tutions and economic and social stakeholders, including rative effort between public and private researchers and businesses, the hospital and health care system, cultural technicians, in close collaboration with citizens and social institutions and social organisations. organisations, adopting a matrix that crosses specialisa- tion priorities with technologies and scientific knowledge of Collaborative Laboratories should therefore, and in accor- a cross-cutting nature and defining a framework for the dance with the “Science Law” (i.e., Decree Law 60/2019 of allocation of public and private funding for science and in- the 16th of May 2019), consolidate and promote the capa- novation. The aim is to mobilise the productive, social and city and potential of the scientific, academic and business cultural sectors in order to facilitate and strengthen the communities given the opportunity to link knowledge with qualification of the population at territorial level by stimu- welfare and social and economic development in Portugal. lating skilled employment, attracting direct foreign invest- It is the opportunity for scientific and academic institutions, ment to higher added value activities and converging with in close collaboration with economic, social and cultural the European