Portugal cuts science funding to almost half its research departments
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028077
Nature : Portugal has completed the first phase of its most recent evaluation of the country’s research departments. As a result, it will be cutting funding to 22% of its research departments and will be providing only very minimal, or core, funding to another 26%. The remaining 52% will be allowed to compete for additional funding. Although the total funding allocation is unchanged from previous years, the evaluation process has been criticized by a number of scientists. Among the criticisms are that the cuts were made by nonspecialists in the field being considered, that the assessments lacked rigor and impartiality, and that the granting of only core funding is “a slow death sentence as no research can be done with that budget.” Researchers were given the opportunity to respond following the first phase of the assessment.
