Portugal Promises €40 Million Science Boost, Researchers Remain Skeptical

Portugal’s next state budget promises fresh cash for research, but scientists are already asking whether the headline figures will translate into real labs, real scholarships and real jobs.

Why an 8 % boost has people’s attention

A pledge of €40 million might look modest beside the grand totals that often fill budget speeches, yet it lands at a moment when public debate in Portugal increasingly links science spending to wages, housing and regional growth. The Government argues that every extra euro sent to universities and start-ups strengthens the country’s ability to keep talent from emigrating and to lure private investment that still gravitates toward central Europe. Officials also point to the record execution rate of research funds in 2024 as proof that agencies can now absorb larger envelopes without the dreaded “cativações” that once froze approved money mid-year.

Where the money is supposed to go

The announcement, made in Guimarães during the 50th anniversary of the University of Minho’s School of Engineering, stated that the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) will receive the bulk of the increase. Ministry insiders say the extra cash is earmarked to stabilise multi-year grant calls and expand doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships after a 40.7 % jump in scholarship execution last year. Although no full breakdown has been released, the same officials hint that part of the envelope could top up programmes for digital infrastructure and AI-driven research equipment—areas many campuses already bankroll with EU recovery funds.

Cautious applause across campuses

Rectors and research associations welcomed what they called “a step in the right direction” but quickly framed it as only that—a step. Rui Vieira de Castro, head of the University of Minho, noted that higher-education budgets remain tight once inflation and utility costs are factored in. In online forums, investigators ran their own spreadsheets and pointed out that even with an 8 % climb, the projected €647 million for FCT in 2026 still trails the 2024 allocation of €675 million. The teachers’ union FENPROF, which has long criticised precarious contracts in academia, warned that without firm rules against mid-year freezes the promised millions could vanish on paper.

The numbers behind the headline

Portugal’s overall spending on research and development reached 1.75 % of GDP in 2024, still shy of the European Union average of 2.2 %. Government funds account for barely 0.66 % of GDP, leaving the business sector to shoulder most of the effort. To hit the National Innovation Strategy target of 3 % by 2030, public investment would need to expand by roughly €90 million every single year—more than double the annual boost now on the table. The upcoming budget therefore acts as a litmus test of political will rather than a decisive leap toward that goal.

What happens next in Parliament

The Orçamento do Estado for 2026 must reach the Assembly by 10 October, after which MPs will dissect each line item. Opposition parties on the left are likely to demand a bigger push for research careers and student housing, while conservative deputies have signalled questions about efficiency and results. The parliamentary arithmetic gives the governing coalition room to pass the bill, but amendments in committee could still redirect part of the €40 million or set execution milestones that agencies must meet to unlock funds.

The long road to 3 % of GDP

Even if the extra money clears all legislative hurdles, Portugal would still need to climb from 1.75 % to 3 % of GDP within five years—a pace that no EU country has maintained for long without a major industrial upswing. Economists stress that public euros alone will not suffice: corporate R&D must grow in tandem, and tax incentives will likely play a bigger role than line-item subsidies. For now, the science community is keeping its champagne on ice, waiting to see whether the promise made in Guimarães becomes a sustained commitment or another footnote in the country’s long quest for an innovation-driven economy.