The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated in Ponta Delgada that the Government of the Azores "is working to make the life of researchers easier by creating a schedule for the allocation of financial support."

"The funding of Science is a concern of the Regional Government, which aims to ensure the sustainability and growth of research centres by providing them with better conditions for the development of scientific projects," said Fausto Brito e Abreu on the sidelines of a visit to the Centre for Research of Natural Resources (CIRN) of the University of the Azores.

The Regional Secretary for Science reminded that "a tender for the allocation of 150 thousand Euros to support the operation of the 13 scientific research centres of the University of the Azores" is running until January 19. The government official stressed that "the Government of the Azores will invest five million Euros in Science, of which two million Euros will be directed to research grants."

"Different types of research have different types of needs, namely with regarding to human resources, equipment or chemical reagents," noted Fausto Brito e Abreu. According to his survey among researchers in the Region, the predictability of financial support granted to scientific areas "is a need that is common to all types of research."

"Apart from the amount of financial support, one of the most important aspects for our researchers is to know that they may rely on the support to fund research centres or to hire new researchers," stressed the government official.

The Regional Secretary for Science considered that the projects developed by the CIRN "are particularly relevant to the development of the Region in the fields of biodiversity, biotechnology and biomedical sciences."

"This research centre develops projects covering several areas from algaculture to studies on cardiovascular diseases. It has access to high-end infrastructures in terms of laboratories and equipment," stressed the government official.

The Regional Secretary for Science also visited the Social Studies Centre of the University of the Azores, which is also part of part of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (Cics.Nova). This centre was awarded a "Very Good" rating in the evaluation of national research centres that was carried out by the Foundation for Science and Technology.

"The Social Studies Centre is a good example of how the University of the Azores has also conducted quality research outside the field of the so-called exact sciences. This centre has developed studies that are very relevant to the development of the Region and are particularly useful for the Regional Government in the definition of its policies," Brito e Abreu said, pointing out as examples the studies on demography, emigration, gender equality and the collaboration with the Youth Observatory.