The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated that cooperation between the Azorean and National Governments in the areas of Science and Technology will "improve significantly."

 Speaking at the end of a meeting with the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Fausto Brito e Abreu conveyed his "optimism" about the outcome of the meeting, during which both officials discussed regional policies in the field of Science and Technology as well as matters of common interest between the Regional Government and the National Government.

 "There will be an effort to revert the national political disinvestment in Science that has been in force over the last four year," stressed the government official. According to the conversation held with the Minister of Science, he pointed out "the special concern to promote scientific employment and provide universities with more flexibility in hiring personnel."

 The Regional Secretary also stated the need to "absorb into the university system the researchers who are working for years under precarious conditions and who cannot progress [in their career]."

 Brito e Abreu highlighted the "potential of the Azores" to develop important scientific and technological areas for the country, taking into account the geographic location of the archipelago, natural conditions and the skills of regional research units.

 From the perspective of cooperation between government, the Regional Secretary pointed out "two major areas" in which the Azores bring "added value to the country as well as to the national Science and Technology policy," namely the exploration of the deep sea and space technologies.

 According to Brito e Abreu, the location of the Azores in the middle of the Atlantic allows the installation of land infrastructures for the observation of "large portions of the Earth's orbit," being, therefore, "an asset of Portugal to attract projects designed to implement infrastructures for the observation of space, remote observation of the Earth and oceans."

 The Regional Secretary for the Sea also noted that the National Government's programme, which was recently approved, includes the installation of the Ocean Observation Centre in the Azores, more specifically in the city of Horta, Faial Island.

 In this context, Brito e Abreu stated that "there is a very strong link between regional policies in maritime affairs, science and technology and the installation of this centre on the site where the main research on deep sea is conducted," through the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores.
 
"The Regional Government will also install the Azores Maritime School in Horta. It will be focused on technical areas and will offer courses in the field of underwater robotics and other areas that have obvious synergies with the scientific studies on the deep sea," added the government official.

 "The Ocean Observation Centre is not just a campaign promise," the government official said, adding that the Portuguese Government is committed to installing this infrastructure in the Azores.

 As for sea-related scientific research, Fausto Brito e Abreu mentioned that "there is still very little worldwide knowledge on resources under two thousand metres deep," noting, in this context, "the prime location of the Azores" near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as well as "the high-end research" that has been carried out by the University of the Azores and its research centres.

The meeting held in Lisbon also addressed issues related to higher education and the University of the Azores.

Brito e Abreu conveyed to the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education the position of Regional Government, pointing out that the National Government should take into consideration "the specific characteristics of the National Government, located in a region whose territory is scattered throughout nine islands," and the support the additional costs resulting from its insularity and tripartite structure. The University of the Azores is "an important aspect in the harmonious development of the Region, the latter being a national goal."