The Regional Secretary for Science, Technology and Infrastructures met the chairman of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the entity which the Regional Government calls for support and partnerships for the development of regional projects at an international level. The meeting was held in Ponta Delgada on Sunday night.
 
Speaking to the media, José Contente said that the meeting aims to raise the awareness of the chairman of FCT for the importance of the projects that the Region intends to implement, especially with the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine of the Azores (IBBA).

“We intend that this accredited foundation participate with us in scientific projects in the Azores, such as the IBBA, which is at a project stage but soon to be implemented, through the renewal of spaces that belong to the Region, especially the premises where the Terra Chã Campus of the University of the Azores was located,” explained the Regional Secretary.

The Regional Secretary also stressed that he invited the chairman of FTC to visit the Azores and, thus, bring the institution closer to regional scientific projects, to which the Region calls for partnerships, mainly at the level of laboratory equipment and the support the possibility of more researchers choosing the Azores.

One should remind that the IBBA, the Science and Technology Park of Terceira Island will be provided with a Competitive Intelligence Centre, among other services, which will render services to the academic and business communities in the fields of pharmaceutical sciences, biomedicine and biotechnology in order to seek for new business opportunities related to innovation.

“This project represents the scientific and technological path we are following in the Azores; however it still needs two things: credible partners and an international dimension,” added José Contente, taking into account that it represents the materialisation of high-end areas in the Azores.

In addition to supporting scientific research, the IBBA is firstly an advanced knowledge centre that might be an added value to companies as well as to creation of qualified employment, ensuring the development of the Region through the transfer of knowledge – produced at research laboratories and the respective application by the business sector – which then turns it into innovation. In turn, innovation may economically enhance the results of science and contribute to the development of the Azores.

On the other hand, the chairman of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology assured his commitment to continue to support the research and development of the Azorean scientific system by following a proximity policy and establishing a closer relation between the Regional Government and the Central Government. “We must increase the support and enhance this proximity so that we may be able to further boost the role that these areas and these research centres play in the development of the Azores as well as in their international acknowledgement,” stressed João Sentieiro.