Support Services

Indeed, the NOVA community has both centralised (Rectorate) and decentralised (each School) support structures. The Rectorate has an R&I Support Directorate (DAII) responsible for promoting transversal activities, in close articulation with the units of each School. Both centralised and decentralised support structures and activities at NOVA are professionalized and have highly experienced research management support in the areas of:

• Funding, impact & project management – each School provides support to the T&R staff in securing competitive funding, creating impact with their research, and ensuring efficient implementation through optimised financial & administrative management of projects.
• Infrastructure management – Schools provide the tools & support needed, aiming to facilitate ground-breaking discoveries and the development of innovative solutions (CryoEM, Microscope & Animal Facilities, Mass spectrometry and NMR, Social Science Datalab; CHAIN Biobank).
• Innovation, Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship – the Rectorate, through NOVA Impact, in articulation with specialized units in the different Schools provide a comprehensive set of activities throughout the innovation and knowledge valorisation value chain, including the protection and commercialization of research results; entrepreneurship training for the academic community; support to the creation of new spin-off companies, and liaison with industry or other societal organizations;
• Science communication (SC) & outreach (NOVA FCSH has a master course on SC; ITQB develops numerous outreach activities/science fairs);
• Scientific information management (PURE platform & NOVA Research Portal).
• HR recruitment & career management.
• Community services, internationalization & mobility opportunities.

The DAII aims to support all NOVA Schools in topics related to funding opportunities, capacity-building courses, and strategic funding methodologies to allow the different schools to perform better in the different funding schemes and increase the research impact of the University as a whole. It also follows and monitors the R&I activities of the University. The office is also involved in the development of institutional proposals for specific funding opportunities within strategic topics.

Below are some examples of transversal initiatives organized with the aim of capacitating the NOVA R&I community:

• Systematic training in the new European impact metrics, in line with NOVA’s participation in the SECURE and OPUS projects – recent examples: the Research Impact Narratives Challenge and a webinar about Narrative CVs (>350 participants).
• ERC grant applications support (1:1 coaching/bootcamps).
• Preparation for European projects (Fit4Funding® program developed by the different funding support offices at NOVA).

The DAII also develops an annual magazine, featuring the NOVA R&I community most recent achievements – NOVA Science -, and organizes events held throughout the year to facilitate institutional networking and potentiate partnerships – NOVA Science & Innovation Day 2023 showcased research work and innovations in all research areas, engaging 300+ participants.

The DAII also offers T&R staff engagement opportunities through 5 Interdisciplinary Platforms and the recent NIRC on Sustainable Energy Systems, in partnership with Galp, fostering synergies among researchers from diverse Schools and backgrounds. Within this framework, T&R staff will have the opportunity to cultivate collaborative projects and seek support through seed-funding programs for innovative & PoC ideas.