FPCEUP | 2 Research Grants | Center for Educational Research and Intervention (CIIE UP) | Ref. 2025/29, no. 174

Organisation/Company

University of Porto

Department

Human Resources Department

Research Field

Educational sciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions

Master Positions

Country

Portugal

Application Deadline

8 Jan 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon)

Type of Contract

To be defined

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Other EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR TWO RESEARCH STUDENTSHIPS FOR PHD STUDENTS FOR THE CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION (CIIE) OF THE FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTO

The Centre for Research and Educational Intervention (CIIE-UP) of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCEUP) welcomes applications for two doctoral research studentships in the field of Educational Sciences.

The research studentships will be funded by national funds from the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and, when eligible, by European Social Fund resources made available under PORTUGAL 2030, within the scope of the Multi-year Funding Programme Contract for R&D Units 2025-2029, reference UID/00167/2025.

1. SCIENTIFIC AREA: Education Sciences

2. NATURE, TYPE AND DURATION OF THE STUDENTSHIPS

The research studentships for PhD students are intended to finance research activities carried out by doctoral candidates in pursuit of the award of their doctoral degree.

The research activities leading to the doctoral degree will take place at the Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE), which will act as the host institution for the grant holders.

The research activities leading to the doctoral degree to be carried out by the selected grant holders must align with the CIIE’s activity plan and strategy, and must be developed within the scope of the Doctoral Programme in Educational Sciences of FPCEUP.

3. ELIGIBILITY

3.1. Applicant eligibility requirements

The following may apply to this call:

• Nationals of Portugal or of other Member States of the European Union.
• Nationals of Third Countries.
• Stateless individuals.
• Individuals holding political refugee status.

To apply for a doctoral research studentship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

The application and all associated documents must be written in Portuguese or in English language.

4. WORK PLAN

4.1. The research project/work plan must explicitly indicate the CIIE research group with which it is aligned: PITE – Policy, Inequalities and Transformative Education; DJusT – Diversity, Social Justice and Territories; SCInTE(a)+Democracy – School, Curriculum, Innovation, Teacher Education and Democracy.

4.2. The research project/work plan submitted with the application must contribute to the mission and objectives of CIIE and to the implementation of its strategic plan.

4.3. The project may only be supervised by one or more full members of CIIE.

4.4. The research project/work plan must include the following sections:

5. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS

This call and the awarding of the studentships are governed by this Call for Applications and by the provisions established in the following legal and regulatory documents: the Research Studentships Regulation of the University of Porto – approved by Regulation no. 184/2021, published in the Diário da República, 2nd Series, no. 43, of 3 March; the legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions; the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), approved by Decree-Law no. 4/2015, of 7 January; the Statute of the Research Fellow (EBI), approved by Law no. 40/2004, of 18 August, in its current version published by Decree-Law no. 123/2019, of 28 August; the Research Studentships Regulation no. 950/2019, of 16 December, of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), I.P., in its current version; as well as any other applicable regulations.

6. PLACE OF WORK

The work will be carried out in Porto, at the facilities of CIIE and the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto (FPCEUP), or in other locations necessary for the execution of the work plan, under the scientific supervision of one or more full members of CIIE.

7. DURATION OF THE STUDENTSHIP

The studentships have a standard duration of one year, renewable for equal or different periods up to a maximum of 48 months, and may not be awarded for a period shorter than three consecutive months. The decision to renew the studentship contract, on an exclusive basis, is subject to the availability of financial resources and institutional needs.

8. MONTHLY MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE

8.1. The studentship amount is €1309.64, in accordance with the value table established in the Research Studentships Regulation of the University of Porto (no. 184/2021) and by the FCT.

8.2. Payment will be made by FPCEUP via bank transfer. In addition to this allowance, grant holders will be covered by personal accident insurance and by the payment of the annual tuition fee.

8.3. The grant holders may join the Voluntary Social Security Scheme (applicable to studentship contracts of six months or longer). Membership is optional (not mandatory), and reimbursement corresponds to the 1st level of the contributory incidence base.

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BONUS POINTS

9.1. Evaluation stages and criteria

The evaluation process is divided into two stages:

1st Stage: assessment of the curriculum, evaluation of the research project, and evaluation of the motivation letter. The highest-ranked candidates, up to a maximum of five, will proceed to the second stage.

2nd Stage: interview, part of which will be conducted in English, including a very brief presentation of the candidate’s background and research interests.

The evaluation considers the candidate’s merit, the merit of the research project, and the candidate’s motivation.

Eligible applications will be scored on a scale of 0-100 in each of the following evaluation criteria:

• Criterion A (1st Stage) – Candidate’s merit, based on curriculum assessment, weighted at 40%
  • Sub-criterion A1 – Academic background, based on final grades of completed degrees, weighted at 40%. The score for this sub-criterion is calculated according to the final grades stated in the academic certificates submitted by the candidate, in accordance with Table 1:

Table 1. Reference table for determining the score for Sub-criterion A1 – Academic Background (see notice) 

NOTE: The grade considered for calculating Sub-criterion A1 is the one indicated on the official degree certificates submitted with the application or, where applicable, on the corresponding recognition and grade-conversion documents to the Portuguese scale. In cases where final grades include decimal places, they will be rounded to the nearest whole number as follows: if the decimal is equal to or greater than 5, rounding up will be applied; if the decimal is below 5, the number will remain unchanged. In cases requiring the calculation of a simple arithmetic average between the Bachelor’s grade and the Master’s grade, the grades shown on the certificates will be used (even if they include decimal places), and rounding will only occur after the average is obtained. If a certificate displays both a rounded final grade and a grade with decimal places, the rounded grade will be used. If no valid degree certificates are submitted, the score for Sub-criterion A1 will be zero (A1 = 0). (Source: FCT, Evaluation Guide , 2025, pp. 4-5)

The resulting value for A1 will then be converted to the 0-100 scale.

For the calculation of Sub-criterion A1, certificates indicating only a qualitative classification (e.g., pre-Bologna Master’s degrees) will be converted according to Table 2 for the purpose of calculating the final average (Bachelor’s + Master’s) and determining the academic background classification (by applying Table 1).

Table 2. Conversion table for qualitative classifications   (see notice) 

Qualitative Classification

Converted Classification

Excellent / Very Good with Distinction / Distinction and Honours / Magna Cum Laude / Summa Cum Laude - 18

Very Good / Approved with Distinction / Good with Distinction / Cum Laude - 16

Good / Approved / Approved unanimously- 14

Sufficient -12

• Sub-criterion A2– Research experience, with evidence of the development of relevant research skills, such as participation in research projects, presentation of work at scientific conferences, and publications, weighted at 30%.
  • Sub-criterion A3 – Relevant professional experience, demonstrating high-level competences in educational intervention and/or innovation, weighted at 15%.
  • Sub-criterion A4– Additional training (postgraduate courses, specialisations, other non-degree courses, and professional training, including continuing professional development), weighted at 15%.
• Criterion B (1st Stage) – Evaluation of the research project/work plan, weighted at 30%
  • Sub-criterion B1 – Scientific merit and originality of the work plan, weighted at 30%
  • Sub-criterion B2 – Clarity and coherence of the state of the art and suitability of the proposed methodologies, weighted at 25%
  • Sub-criterion B3 – Feasibility of the work plan, weighted at 15%
  • Sub-criterion B4 – Relevance and potential impact of its contribution to the objectives and development of the Centre, weighted at 30%
• Criterion C (1st Stage) – Motivation, weighted at 10%.
• Criterion D (2nd Stage) – Interview, aimed at clarifying the different elements submitted for evaluation and assessing the candidate’s oral and written command of scientific English, weighted at 20%.

For the purpose of deciding on the award of studentships, candidates will be ranked according to the weighted average of the scores obtained in each of the four criteria, calculated using the following formula:

Final Score = (0.4 × A) + (0.3 × B) + (0.1 × C) + (0.2 × D)

In the event of a tie, ranking will be determined based on the scores awarded for each evaluation criterion, in the following order of precedence: Criterion A, Criterion B, Criterion C, Criterion D.

Important notice for applicants holding degrees issued by foreign higher education institutions:

• Applicants with degrees issued by foreign higher education institutions may apply and will be assessed according to the same criteria as applicants with degrees issued by Portuguese institutions, provided that they submit, with their application, proof of the recognition of their academic degrees and of the conversion of their final classification to the Portuguese grading scale, in accordance with applicable legislation.
• Applicants with recognised foreign degrees who do not submit proof of the conversion of their final classification to the Portuguese grading scale will be awarded the minimum score (10 points) in Criterion A1.
• In all cases, studentship contracts with applicants holding degrees issued by foreign institutions will only be concluded upon submission of proof of degree recognition and conversion of the final classification, as indicated above.

Applicants whose applications receive a final score of less than 50 points are not eligible for the award of a studentship.

9.2. Bonus points

A bonus of up to a maximum of 5 points may be awarded to applications demonstrating a strong alignment with the strategic objectives of CIIE.

9.3. This call is intended exclusively for the filling of the positions indicated. Should none of the applicants demonstrate the required profile for carrying out the work plan described above, the panel reserves the right not to award the studentships.

10. EVALUATION PANEL

10.1. The evaluation panel is composed of the following members:

• Prof. Tiago Neves, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (panel coordinator)
• Prof. João Caramelo, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (panel member)
• Prof. Amélia Veiga, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (panel member)
• Prof. Sofia Pais, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (panel member)
• Prof. Angélica Monteiro, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (panel member)
• Prof. Manuela Ferreira, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (alternate panel member)
• Prof. Preciosa Fernandes, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (alternate panel member)
• Prof. Teresa Medina, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (alternate panel member)
• Dr Norberto Ribeiro, CIIE/FPCEUP, University of Porto (alternate panel member)

11. METHOD OF SUBMISSION AND APPLICATION DEADLINE

11.1. The call is open until January, 8 2026 (closing at 11:59pm, Lisbon time).

11.2. Applications must be submitted through the FPCEUP website at https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/cnt_cand_geral.concursos_list (Ref.ª2025/29,N.º174), accompanied by the following mandatory documents:

11.3. The application must be accompanied by documents proving the conditions set out in this Notice, namely:

11..4. The candidates may also attach any other documents they feel are relevant to assessing their merit.

11.5. Failure to comply with the application submission deadline, failure to submit or late submission of the documents referred to in points a), b), f) and h) of paragraph 11.3. will result in the application being excluded.

11.6. For the purposes of evaluating applications, no documents whose access is provided through links will be considered, with the exception of those that refer to publications with DOI.

11.7. The documents referred to in point 11.3. should be submitted, preferably, in a non-editable format.

11.8. The panel may, whenever deemed necessary, request applicants to submit supplementary documentation relating to information included in the CV, setting a deadline for this purpose, under the following conditions:

12. FALSE DECLARATIONS

False statements made by applicants will be punished under the law.

13. FORM OF PUBLICATION/NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS

13.1. Applicants will be notified of the minutes corresponding to each stage of the evaluation process via email to the address provided for this purpose, with proof of delivery.

13.2. Notifications are made by email in accordance with Articles 112(1)(c) and 113(5) of the Code of Administrative Procedure.

13.3. Under Articles 121 and following the Code of Administrative Procedure, applicants have 10 working days to submit written comments after notification.

14. RESERVE LIST

Based on the final ranking list, a reserve list will be created and may be used in cases of withdrawal and/or failure to submit required documentation and/or contract termination. The highest administrative authority of the Faculty reserves the right to contact the next applicant(s) in sequence, and so forth, until the position(s) is/are filled, whenever deemed appropriate and in accordance with the Faculty’s judgement of convenience and opportunity. This reserve list may be used for up to 18 (eighteen) months from the date of approval of the final ranking list.

15. POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL ACCESS

The University of Porto actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access, so that no applicant may b the grounds of ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family situation, economic situation, education, social origin or condition, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and trade union membership.

[1] If the candidate holds a degree awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must be recognized by a Portuguese higher education institution, following the provisions of article 25 of Decree-Law no. 66/2018 of 16 August, which approves the legal regime for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions, and Article 4 (2) (e) of Decree-Law no. 60/2018 of 3 August, and any formalities established therein be fulfilled up to the date of the contracting act.

Website

https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/cnt_ndoc_geral.conc_view?pct_conc_id=174

Research Field

Educational sciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Number of offers available

2

Company/Institute

Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the University of Porto

Country

Portugal

State/Province

Porto

City

Porto

Postal Code

4200-135

Street

Rua Alfredo Allen, s/n

Geofield

State/Province

Porto

City

Porto

Website

https://sigarra.up.pt/spup/pt/noticias_geral.ver_noticia?p_nr=87831

Street

Praça Gomes Teixeira

Postal Code

4099-002

E-Mail

recrutamentorh@sp.up.pt

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