Thematic Agendas
The Thematic Research and Innovation Agendas aim to mobilize experts from R&D institutions and companies to identify challenges and opportunities at the level of the national scientific and technological system, particularly from a medium and long-term perspective. It is expected that the agendas can also contribute to the development of research and innovation, providing contributions to responding to problems or needs of different sectors of society.
The inclusive and dynamic process of developing agendas, involving experts from academia, research centers, companies, public entities and citizens, in a framework of dialogue between different national actors, allows us to specify the areas that are emerging and promising for Portuguese Research and Innovation, in a medium and long-term perspective, until 2030.
The main objectives of preparing thematic agendas are to promote collective reflection on the knowledge base to support the country's scientific, technological and socioeconomic development on the topics in question.
The main objectives of the thematic agendas are:
- Promoting dialogue between the scientific and business communities, combining the capabilities and needs of researchers, citizens, companies, the Public Administration and civil society organizations;
- The creation of a medium and long-term vision of the Portuguese research and innovation system, as well as the most promising R&I lines for realizing this vision in each of the thematic areas;
- Contributing to the construction of information sources capable of inspiring and supporting decision-making processes, particularly with regard to R&I internationalization strategies, as well as the research agendas of institutions and their researchers.
The process of developing thematic R&I agendas favors an inclusive and bottom-up approach, based on the involvement of scientific, technological and business communities, and other entities. This process is inspired by international practices for creating strategic and mobilizing research and innovation agendas.
Each Agenda was developed by expert groups with representatives from the scientific and business communities. The formation of expert groups was based on invitations sent to those responsible for R&D units and companies to nominate specialists, as well as direct invitations from the FCT to experts seeking to accommodate the different aspects of the topic.
Although the FCT provides the technical and logistical support necessary for the work to function, including the proposed content structure, the main responsibility for producing the content for each topic lies with the groups of experts. The internal thematic structure of each agenda is defined by the groups of experts who, at the same time, choose the experts who assume responsibilities as rapporteur and coordinator.
This innovative and dynamic process aims to stimulate the exchange of ideas between the scientific and business communities in an ongoing dialogue with a view to building a shared agenda.
A public consultation with the community was also held on the main issues to be developed, and there was also a consultation with Public Administration bodies through a specific questionnaire.
