The Government of the Azores, through the Regional Fund for Science and Technology, launched today a tender for 12 post-doctoral grants amounting to 800 thousand Euros for three years.
 
The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stressed that the support allocated under the PRO-SCIENTIA programme aims to "reinforce opportunities for the advanced qualification of human resources in the Region." The government official also added that the awarding of research grants is "an important contribution to increase research and development in the Azores as well as to maintain some of the best researchers who have recently completed their PhDs in the Region."
 
"This tender consolidates the investment the Azorean Government has been making in science, especially in the advanced qualification of human resources," said Fausto Brito e Abreu. He stressed that the projects developed under the grant to be funded "should focus on the priorities of each subject area of the RIS3 Azores strategy," namely Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Agro-industry, Fisheries and the Sea, and Tourism.
 
Brito e Abreu also stated this tender for post-doctoral grants "complements other support measures implemented by the Regional Government" for science, namely the tender for doctoral grants, amounting to 1.7 million Euros, and the support for scientific research projects in the amount of 2.9 million Euros; the latter allows the hiring of doctoral researchers.
 
The government official also reminded that Azorean companies may apply, from May this year, to support for scientific research projects developed in business context in partnership with regional scientists. Each research project should have a maximum eligible cost of 200 thousand Euros, in the case of individual projects, and 300 thousand Euros in the case of projects developed in co-promotion.
 
"The Government of the Azores recognises the existence of research activities of relevant interest under development in the region and that to be produced in the region and contributes to the development of our economy and should therefore be supported," said the holder of the Science folder.
 
Brito e Abreu also stressed the "added value of bringing the University of the Azores closer to regional companies" in order to "promote scientific research in the business fabric, increase their competitiveness and generate value based on innovation."
 
The Regional Secretary highlighted the "important role" that science should play in Region, adding that "the Azores are thousands of kilometres away from the main markets and, therefore, have to invest in an economy that is increasingly based on knowledge and innovation in order to be competitive."
 
The research activities comprised under this tender for the awarding of post-doctoral grants must be necessarily conducted at Research and Development Units of the Azores Scientific and Technological System.
 
Applications must be submitted until December 12, through the online form available at the address https://idia.azores.gov.pt/.