There is an almost perfect positive
relationship between scientific output and
gross domestic product (GDP) in Western
Europe (Fig. 1). But two countries —
Ireland and Portugal — spoil the
relationship

Canario, Adelino V. M.

Nature

English

Sapientia

Nature © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1997Sir — There is an almost perfect positiverelationship between scientific output andgross domestic product (GDP) in WesternEurope (Fig. 1). But two countries —Ireland and Portugal — spoil therelationship.Ireland, wisely, shows intense scientificactivity, unlike Portugal, which publishesthree times less than would be expected forits GDP. The general relationship betweennumber of papers published and GDP isalso true for the social sciences, and the artsand humanities (not shown), and the gapbetween observed and expected output forPortugal is just as wide. The situation in Portugal requiresimmediate action if the country is to beready to face the next century in anincreasingly competitive world, wherescience and technology provide the drivingforce. Scientific output is almost exclusivelycorrelated to spending on research anddevelopment (R&D) (r 4 0.949 for thecountries in Fig. 1). Portugal spends only0.60 per cent of GDP on R&D, whereas therest of Western Europe spends on average1.78 per cent of GDP. At the present rate ofincrease in spending on R&D, it will be 50years before Portugal reaches the currentEuropean average.More funds need to be invested inPortuguese science and higher education.But a consistent policy and pooling ofexisting resources is also required. Smallgroups with good scientific potentialshould be brought together to create acritical mass and provided with a goodscientific infrastructure coupled withregular evaluation of achievement. Longer-term funding should be provided instead ofthe current system based on irregular callsfor project applications. To be fair to thepresent government, steps have been takenin the right direction, with the evaluationlast year of research units by internationalexperts and the introduction of some basiclong-term funding. The government hasalso, correctly, put emphasis on pre-primary and up to secondary school leveleducation. It is now time to concentrate onhigher education and research, paving theway for future generations.A dramatic change in the universitysystem, where most Portuguese science iscarried out, is also required. Learningscience in the universities has beenundermined by chronic low funding (theannual cost of an undergraduate student inPortugal is 2.5 times less than in the UnitedKingdom), lack of basic equipment,ludicrous financial and accountancy rules,poor libraries and excessive teaching loadsfor lecturers. Universities have started somecorrespondence656 NATURE | VOL 390 | 18/25 DECEMBER 1997sort of self-evaluation but have beenshowing little enthusiasm in the process. There is also an indescribable andunique demagogic university autonomysystem in which undergraduate studentsand teaching assistants (PhD students) holdup to 70 per cent of the vote for the electionof rectors and heads of faculty. Lecturersand professors hold only 20 per cent of thevote, the other 10 per cent being held byadministrative and support staff.In this climate, planning is almostimpossible, irrespective of the amount of funding. It is time for change. Otherwise,Portugal will continue for decades at the tail of scientific and academic achievement.Five hundred years ago, technology gave the Portuguese advantage over othercountries, something that we like to boastabout.Adelino V. M. CanarioCentre of Marine Sciences,University of Algarve,8000 Faro,Portugalemail: acanario@ualg.ptTime for change in Portuguese scienceQuid pro quoSir — The Dearing proposals on educationin the United Kingdom, although notunreasonable in themselves, carry a seriousthreat to the recruitment of ablepostgraduate students working for higherdegrees. Not only do such studentsrepresent the next generation of researchworkers but their work contributes verysignificantly to research in progress. Yet their career prospects are not such asto put them in a position to repay the debtthey will have accumulated to cover the costof their undergraduate education;postgraduate education involves a furtherperiod of relative penury with noguaranteed prospects of a tenuredappointment when completed.It would be in the interests of Britain tocancel the debts of such students on theirgaining a PhD in an approved field of studywithin a reasonable time limit, and perhapsalso of those who serve a satisfactoryapprenticeship in medicine or teaching.This would not be very costly because thenumbers are relatively small, and it wouldact as a spur to recruitment and thecompletion of their theses. Perhaps also the United Kingdomshould think of designating some of itsuniversities as exclusively postgraduateinstitutes along the lines of Princeton.John A. Davis1 Cambridge Road,Great Shelford,Cambridge CB3 5JE, UKGDP (billion USD)101 102 103Publications102103104105GBFRNLSEESDKATBEITDEIEFIISGRPTSWlog (Pub) = 1.94 + 0.91 x log (GDP)r2 = 0.871, n = 17, P<0.001NOFigure 1 Scientific output in 1996 in Western Europe as a function of GDP in 1995. Dotted lines are 95%confidence limits of regression line. Data from: Science Citation Index (Institute of ScientificInformation) and The World Fact Book (US Central Intelligence Agency). AT, Austria; BE, Belgium; DE,Germany; DK, Denmark; ES, Spain; FI, Finland; FR, France; GB, United Kingdom; GR,  Greece; IE,Ireland; IS, Iceland; IT, Italy; NL, Netherlands; NO, Norway; PT, Portugal; SE, Sweden; SW, Switzerland.

Time for change in Portuguese science

Universidade do Algarve

Nature © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 1997
Sir — There is an almost perfect positive
relationship between scientific output and
gross domestic product (GDP) in Western
Europe (Fig. 1). But two countries —
Ireland and Portugal — spoil the
relationship.
Ireland, wisely, shows intense scientific
activity, unlike Portugal, which publishes
three times less than would be expected for
its GDP. The general relationship between
number of papers published and GDP is
also true for the social sciences, and the arts
and humanities (not shown), and the gap
between observed and expected output for
Portugal is just as wide. 
The situation in Portugal requires
immediate action if the country is to be
ready to face the next century in an
increasingly competitive world, where
science and technology provide the driving
force. Scientific output is almost exclusively
correlated to spending on research and
development (R&D) (r 4 0.949 for the
countries in Fig. 1). Portugal spends only
0.60 per cent of GDP on R&D, whereas the
rest of Western Europe spends on average
1.78 per cent of GDP. At the present rate of
increase in spending on R&D, it will be 50
years before Portugal reaches the current
European average.
More funds need to be invested in
Portuguese science and higher education.
But a consistent policy and pooling of
existing resources is also required. Small
groups with good scientific potential
should be brought together to create a
critical mass and provided with a good
scientific infrastructure coupled with
regular evaluation of achievement. Longer-
term funding should be provided instead of
the current system based on irregular calls
for project applications. To be fair to the
present government, steps have been taken
in the right direction, with the evaluation
last year of research units by international
experts and the introduction of some basic
long-term funding. The government has
also, correctly, put emphasis on pre-
primary and up to secondary school level
education. It is now time to concentrate on
higher education and research, paving the
way for future generations.
A dramatic change in the university
system, where most Portuguese science is
carried out, is also required. Learning
science in the universities has been
undermined by chronic low funding (the
annual cost of an undergraduate student in
Portugal is 2.5 times less than in the United
Kingdom), lack of basic equipment,
ludicrous financial and accountancy rules,
poor libraries and excessive teaching loads
for lecturers. Universities have started some
correspondence
656 NATURE | VOL 390 | 18/25 DECEMBER 1997
sort of self-evaluation but have been
showing little enthusiasm in the process. 
There is also an indescribable and
unique demagogic university autonomy
system in which undergraduate students
and teaching assistants (PhD students) hold
up to 70 per cent of the vote for the election
of rectors and heads of faculty. Lecturers
and professors hold only 20 per cent of the
vote, the other 10 per cent being held by
administrative and support staff.
In this climate, planning is almost
impossible, irrespective of the amount 
of funding. It is time for change. Otherwise,
Portugal will continue for decades at the 
tail of scientific and academic achievement.
Five hundred years ago, technology gave 
the Portuguese advantage over other
countries, something that we like to boast
about.
Adelino V. M. Canario
Centre of Marine Sciences,
University of Algarve,
8000 Faro,
Portugal
email: acanario@ualg.pt
Time for change in Portuguese science
Quid pro quo
Sir — The Dearing proposals on education
in the United Kingdom, although not
unreasonable in themselves, carry a serious
threat to the recruitment of able
postgraduate students working for higher
degrees. Not only do such students
represent the next generation of research
workers but their work contributes very
significantly to research in progress. 
Yet their career prospects are not such as
to put them in a position to repay the debt
they will have accumulated to cover the cost
of their undergraduate education;
postgraduate education involves a further
period of relative penury with no
guaranteed prospects of a tenured
appointment when completed.
It would be in the interests of Britain to
cancel the debts of such students on their
gaining a PhD in an approved field of study
within a reasonable time limit, and perhaps
also of those who serve a satisfactory
apprenticeship in medicine or teaching.
This would not be very costly because the
numbers are relatively small, and it would
act as a spur to recruitment and the
completion of their theses. 
Perhaps also the United Kingdom
should think of designating some of its
universities as exclusively postgraduate
institutes along the lines of Princeton.
John A. Davis
1 Cambridge Road,
Great Shelford,
Cambridge CB3 5JE, UK
GDP (billion USD)
101 102 103
P
ub
lic
at
io
ns
102
103
104
105
GB
FR
NL
SE
ES
DK
AT
BE
IT
DE
IE
FI
IS
GR
PT
SW
log (Pub) = 1.94 + 0.91 x log (GDP)
r2 = 0.871, n = 17, P<0.001
NO
Figure 1 Scientific output in 1996 in Western Europe as a function of GDP in 1995. Dotted lines are 95%
confidence limits of regression line. Data from: Science Citation Index (Institute of Scientific
Information) and The World Fact Book (US Central Intelligence Agency). AT, Austria; BE, Belgium; DE,
Germany; DK, Denmark; ES, Spain; FI, Finland; FR, France; GB, United Kingdom; GR,  Greece; IE,
Ireland; IS, Iceland; IT, Italy; NL, Netherlands; NO, Norway; PT, Portugal; SE, Sweden; SW, Switzerland.




https://sapientia.ualg.pt/bitstream/10400.1/3970/1/Time%20for%20change%20in%20Portuguese%20science.pdf

Time for change in Portuguese science

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