At CEDIS, we understand the importance of publicising the support of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for our activities. Below we explain the importance of this obligation and how we fulfil it.
1) The Origin of CEDIS Funding
The Portuguese government receives revenue from various sources, the main one being the taxes paid by citizens. These taxes include, among others, income tax, value added tax (VAT) and wealth tax. Part of the revenue obtained by the government is allocated to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education. The FCT is a Public institute that receives funds from this ministry. CEDIS, as a “Research & Development Centre” in the Portuguese scientific system, submits projects to the FCT and, once approved, receives funding to carry them out.
2) The Importance of Publicising FCT Support
Publicising FCT support is a form of transparency, letting the public know that our research is funded with money from taxes paid by citizens. It’s also a way of showing that we’re using the funds responsibly and productively. This is fundamental for public confidence in research institutions. Furthermore, showing that our research is supported by a renowned institution like the FCT increases the credibility and prestige of our work. Complying with publicity obligations is a positive factor in future application evaluations. Ultimately, demonstrating the results of what we do with the funding we receive is what makes it possible to justify the allocation of resources for research.
3) FCT Publicity Rules
a) Mention
For this reason, all work funded by the FCT through CEDIS must be labelled as follows:
This work was funded by FCT, I.P. (Portugal), under project UID/00714/2020 (CEDIS/NOVA School of Law).
Not mentioning the FCT makes it impossible for a piece of work to be considered as a statement of results of the multiannual funding from the FCT. Furthermore, it entails the risk of being penalised by not having future funding allocated. Even a work that did not incur direct costs (e.g. proofreading) benefited from (or at least had at its disposal) a series of resources whose costs were borne by the FCT. These elements include the payment of subscriptions to digital platforms, as well as the “overheads” aimed at maintaining the infrastructure that benefits everyone.
If you receive other funding, you must add it to the formula above:
(…) and within the scope of the PD/BD/XXXXXX/20XX PhD Scholarship.
(…) and within the framework of a CEEC (Ref. XXXXX)
(…) and under the Provisional Rule (DL 57/2016/CPxxxx/CTxxxx).
b) Logo
In addition to the mention, all publicity actions carried out within the scope of CEDIS must contain a clearly visible reference to the funding, by affixing the FCT logo. In publicity actions with an international impact, in addition to the FCT logo, the national insignia of the Portuguese Republic should be used.
The logo must be affixed to the following products and localised as follows:
- Brochures, books, magazines, posters, covers, scientific articles (if possible) and all printed applications (typographic or otherwise) – on the front or back cover, or visibly;
- Websites – on their homepage and on the project information page;
- Films and electronic animations – at their opening;
- All materials and documents produced at events, conferences, seminars, workshops and public presentations, including invitations, tickets, certificates of attendance or equivalent documents, exhibition stands, PowerPoint presentations and other digital presentations, etc – in a visible form;
- Print adverts – in a footer or equivalent place;
- Announcements for grants under projects – in the footer or equivalent place, whenever possible.
- Press Release – All press releases and actions developed with the media
Publicity in oral activities
The question that often arises is how to publicise oral activities (lectures, presentations, talks). If you use PowerPoint for your presentations, it is essential to include the FCT logo on the slides:
- You can project any other type of document, such as PDFs or word documents, that contain the FCT logo.
- Even without using PowerPoint for the entire presentation, you can project an image or slide with the title of your talk and the FCT logo.
- You can distribute printed handouts summarising the presentation and, of course, the FCT logo.
And don’t forget to take a photo! At CEDIS, we’ll be making a splash with your lecture, which will demonstrate how we return the knowledge we produce to society, put it to the test of the scientific community, and that we comply with the rules of publicity.
Conclusion
Including the mention of FCT and the FCT logo in our activities is not just a formal obligation; it is a practice that brings significant benefits to researchers, our institution and the scientific community in general. It is a way of honouring the support received, promoting transparency and strengthening the culture of scientific funding. What’s more, it’s a way of showing citizens that their taxes are being used to promote science and social progress.
For CEDIS members, we’ve provided various logos and the FCT publicity manual below, which can also be found at this link.
We are happy to help with any additional material or guidance you may need to fulfil these guidelines.
FCT
Click here to download the FCT logo
Portuguese Republic
Click here to download the logo of the Portuguese Republic
Questions and Answers
Click here for the most frequently asked questions and answers