The Recovery and Resilience Facility, underpinned by the European Union's #NextGenerationEU axis, offers a unique opportunity for structural transformation in its Member States. The Facility mobilizes up to €723.8 billion to support reforms and initiatives, integrated into their national Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs).
Portugal is no exception, and this is a lever that has enabled innovation in three main areas: Resilience, Climate Transition and Digital Transition., the latter through significant investments in the digitalization of companies, the state and in the provision of digital skills in education, health, culture, etc.
October being the Digital Skills Month in Portugal, it is crucial that we take advantage of this moment to understand how the PRR, namely through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), has enhanced its third axis of action, in terms of Science. “Ciência + Digital” is one of the programs linked to this support, which is being implemented by the FCT.
With funding of 48 million euros, approved in 2023, of which 56% have already been implemented, this program aims to accelerate the digital transformation in the National Scientific and Technological System. Its objective is to promote greater competitiveness in the economy, society, public administration and business sector, through five central projects.
Its first action involves the creation of a Science and Technology Campus, open to society and future-oriented, which, together with the Science Desk, will provide the main services and funding mechanisms to researchers.
In terms of Advanced Computing, the PRR is enabling the creation of a National Center for Advanced Computing (CNCA), through the reorganization of the country's existing advanced computing centers and networks into a single entity. This pillar supports the operation of the Deucalion and MareNostrum 5 supercomputers.
94 funded projects in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Data Science are also expected to be completed by 2026. The implementation of National Program for Open Science and Open Research Data (PNCADAI) It is also one of the pillars of this fund, providing a network of infrastructures, services and tools to support open science and, in particular, the management of research data.
Finally, also in terms of Digital Skills, the PRR provides for the provision of 50 new courses offered through the national platform of massive online courses (NAU), developed by FCCN – Digital Services of the FCT. This initiative will promote training and digitalization among the Portuguese population, encouraging the acquisition of new skills free of charge and in a fully online format.
This investment will thus enhance the digital skills of the Portuguese people in the medium and long term, making the population better equipped to keep up with constant innovations. In addition to being more digital, for all this, the PRR will drive a more innovative, digital and open Science (and technology) for all.
