Helena Pereira (CEF/TERRA) criticizes merger of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) with the National Innovation Agency of Portugal (ANI)
Former president of the Foundation for Science and Technology warns of the risks of merging FCT with ANI, announced as part of state reform.
Helena Pereira, a researcher at the Forest Research Centre (CEF) and member of the TERRA Associate Laboratory, criticized the merger of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the National Innovation Agency of Portugal (ANI) into a new body, as part of the state reform.
Speaking to Antena 1’s Ponto Central, the former president of FCT views the “process of transforming entities that are important for science funding” with concern and apprehension. The researcher also believes that there are many differences between science and innovation, emphasizing that the missions of these entities “are quite different.” For Helena Pereira (CEF/TERRA), science may lose out in this process.
Listen to statements here: rtp.pt/noticias/pais/antiga-presidente-da-fundacao-para-a-ciencia-e-tecnologia-critica-fusao-com-agencia-para-inovacao_n1700246(in Portuguese)
This position reflects TERRA researchers’ concern not only with major societal challenges, but also with how science is funded and valued in Portugal. TERRA has been closely monitoring changes in national science policy. Several of its members have publicly reacted to the abolition of the FCT, warning of the risks and challenges of this institutional transformation, as can be seen in this news article and this statement.
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