Research Fellowship (BI)

By order of the Director of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP), Professor João Pedro Xavier, September 23, it is hereby announced that this call for applications is now open for the award of 1 (one) Research Scholarship (BI) to a student enrolled in a PhD programme, to carry out R&D activities within the scope of the project “FUTURURAL – Futures of Rural Urbanism: South-North Dialogues based on Colonial and Post-Colonial Villages in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau” (Ref. COMPETE2030-FEDER-00892700), funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Innovation and Digital Transition Programme (COMPETE 2030), currently underway at the Nuno Portas Centre for Studies, Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

Applicable legislation and regulations

The competition and the award of the scholarship are governed by the provisions set out in the Statute of Research Fellows (EBI), approved by Law No. 40/2004 of 18 August, as currently in force, published by Decree-Law No. 65/2024 of 1 October; the University of Porto Research Scholarship Regulations, approved by Regulation No. 184/2021 of 3 March, amended and republished by Regulation No. 582/2026 of 19 May (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Regulations’); Legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education qualifications awarded by foreign higher education institutions, approved by Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August; Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA), approved by Decree-Law No. 4/2015 of 7 January; and other applicable regulations.

I – Description and conditions of the scholarship

1. Academic field(s): Architecture.

2. Host Organisation and Location for the implementation of the work plan

The work plan will be carried out at the Nuno Portas Study Centre of FAUP – with the latter acting as the Host Organisation – and at other locations necessary for its implementation.

3. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance

3.1. The amount of the monthly maintenance allowance under the scholarship is €1,359.64, as set out in Annex I to the Regulations.

3.2. Payment will be made monthly by FAUP via bank transfer. In addition to this allowance, the scholarship holder will be covered by personal accident insurance.

3.3. The scholarship holder may opt to join the Voluntary Social Security scheme (applicable to scholarship contracts of six months or more); this is optional, and the reimbursement corresponds to the first bracket of the contribution base.

4. Duration of the scholarship

The BI will have a duration of 12 months, on a full-time basis, and may be renewable, subject to the duration of the work plan or the funding; under no circumstances may it exceed four years, in accordance with Article 10(3)(c) of the Regulations.

5. Work plan

5.1. The main tasks to be carried out under the fellowship will be:

1. Undertaking research missions in Guinea-Bissau and/or Angola;
2. Participating in the preparation and, where applicable, presentation of papers, as well as in the writing of scientific articles;
3. Contributing to the organisation of project events;
4. Contributing to outreach activities, for example in high schools.

5.2. Where an academic degree or diploma is awarded whilst the scholarship contract is in force, the scholarship may continue, provided that the activities set out in the work plan have not been completed and in accordance with the specific terms set out in the call for applications and in the contract, as stipulated in Article 10(6) of the Regulations.

6. Academic supervisor

The scholarship will be carried out under the academic supervision of Professor Tiago Castela, PhD, Assistant Researcher at the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra.

II – Selection Process

7. Entry requirements:

All individuals of legal age who meet the following requirements, as evidenced by supporting documentation, may apply for this scholarship:

1. A Bachelor’s degree or Integrated Master’s degree in Architecture or related fields;
2. Be a student enrolled on a doctoral programme in the field of Architecture – a requirement to be duly substantiated by the date of appointment;

1 Where an academic qualification has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must be recognised by a Portuguese higher education institution, in accordance with the provisions of Article 25 of the Decree-Law No. 66/2018 of 16 August, which approves the legal framework 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 set out therein must be completed by the date of the contract.

8. Preferential criteria:

1. Topic of the doctoral thesis;
2. Relevant experience in scientific research;
3. Relevant experience in architectural design;
4. Relevant experience in the type of tasks to be performed, as identified in the work plan;
5. Proficient command of Portuguese and English.

9. Selection methods and respective assessment criteria:

9.1. All applicants who meet the admission requirements are subject to a curriculum assessment, to be carried out in accordance with the criteria described below.

9.2. The selection methods are as follows: Curriculum Assessment (CA), weighted at 50 per cent, and, optionally, an Interview (INT), weighted at 50 per cent, which will only take place if the selection panel considers that the CA does not allow for the candidates’ actual skills to be clarified as intended, or to determine which candidate is best suited to the post and the duties to be performed. If an interview is to be held, it will be conducted with the 3 (three) candidates with the highest scores in the CV Assessment.

9.3. The Selection Panel assesses the selection methods on a scale of 0 to 20 points.

9.4. The criteria and weighting factors for the CV Assessment (CA) are as follows:

Candidate’s merits:

1. Letter of motivation (0 to 5 points);
2. Academic CV (0 to 5 points);
3. Project experience, particularly with software that can be used for mapping, such as CAD (0 to 5 points);
4. Communication skills, both written and oral, in Portuguese and English (0 to 5 points).

9.5. Candidates who have received a score of 15 points or less will be excluded at the application stage.

9.6. The following are the criteria and weighting factors for the interview (ENT), should one take place:

1. Alignment of the thesis topic with the project’s objectives (0 to 5 points);
2. Analytical originality and significance of the thesis topic (0 to 5 points);
3. Interest in organising events and outreach activities (0 to 5 points);
4. Communication skills in Portuguese and English (0 to 5 points).

9.7. Candidates may request authorisation from the Chair of the selection panel to have their interview conducted via videoconference, providing justification for doing so.

9.8. Failure to attend the interview stage of the selection process is deemed to constitute withdrawal from the competition, and candidates will be excluded from the competition.

9.9. The Final Mark (FM) will be calculated using the following formula: FM = (0.50 AC) + (0.50 ENT)

9.10. Candidates who have obtained a Final Mark of 15 points or less will be excluded from the competition.

10. Composition of the Selection Panel:

Chair: Dr Tiago Luis Lavandeira Castela, Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

1st Permanent Member: Dr Teresa Manuel Almeida Calix, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

2nd Permanent Member: Dr Filipa de Castro Guerreiro, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

1st Alternate Member: Dr Ana Luísa da Silva Fernandes, Assistant Researcher at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

2nd Alternate Member: Dr Manuel Joaquim Soeiro Moreno, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto.

11. Submission of applications:

11.1 Applicants must access and register on the online platform https://www.apply.up.pt to submit their application, selecting the procedure for which they wish to apply (Ref. BOLS-FAUP-26-4).

Applications are processed by completing the sections available on the APPLY U. PORTO platform, under ‘My application’.

11.2 Applications must be submitted exclusively via the aforementioned platform between 28 and 12 october 2026 and must be accompanied by the following mandatory supporting documentation:

1. A copy of the certificate(s) attesting to the qualifications required under point 7(a) of this notice.
2. Curriculum vitae, written in Portuguese, containing only the applicant’s full name; all other personal data subject to protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) must be omitted. The applicant must also provide their ORCID identifier, if applicable;
3. A letter of motivation, stating the candidate’s availability to commence the work plan;
4. Proof of enrolment on a study programme – a requirement to be duly substantiated by the date of appointment; a sworn statement may be submitted;
5. A declaration of eligibility (in accordance with the attached template).

11.3. In addition to the documents listed in the preceding point, applicants must also attach documents proving that they meet the preferential conditions and the respective criteria for the assessment of their academic record, as set out in points 8 and 9.3 of this notice, respectively.

11.4. Applicants may also attach any other documents they consider relevant to the assessment of their merit.

11.5. Supporting documents must be uploaded directly to the APPLY UP online platform: https://www.apply.up.pt, without using links to external platforms or drives.

11.6. The documents included in the application should preferably be in a non-editable format, namely Portable Document Format (PDF).

11.7. Failure to submit the documents referred to in point 11.2 by the deadline set for the submission of the application will result in the application being excluded.

III – Hearing of Interested Parties and Decision

12. Method of publication/notification of results:

12.1. Notifications shall be made by publication on the APPLY U. PORTO electronic platform, in accordance with Article 112(1)(c) of the CPA, and shall take effect in accordance with Article 113 of the CPA.

12.2. Applicants have a period of 10 working days in which to make representations, if they so wish, at a hearing for interested parties, in accordance with the provisions of Article 121 et seq. of the Code of Administrative Procedure (CPA).

12.3. The full tender dossier may be consulted by candidates by prior appointment, to be requested via the APPLY U. Porto platform.

13. Complaints and appeals procedures

The final decision will be issued following consideration of the submissions made during the preliminary hearing of interested parties. A complaint may be lodged against the final decision within 15 working days, or, alternatively, an appeal may be lodged within 30 working days, both periods running from the date of notification.

Candidates who choose to lodge a complaint must address their arguments to the Dean of the Faculty. Candidates who prefer to lodge an appeal must address their arguments to the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

IV – Final Considerations

14. Filling of the Vacancy Advertised

14.1. This competition is intended exclusively for the filling of the position indicated in this Notice and may be terminated, in the interests of the institution, by means of a duly reasoned decision, even before notification of the approval of the final ranking list of candidates, and shall lapse upon the filling of the post on offer. In the event that none of the candidates demonstrates that they possess the profile required to perform the duties described above within the scope of this procedure, the selection panel reserves the right not to fill the post advertised.

14.2. The Faculty’s highest authority may refer to the final ranking list to replace the selected candidate should they decline the post, up to one year from the date of approval.

15. Further information:

15.1. Should an applicant wish to enquire about the application process, they should send an email to recrutamentorh@sp.up.pt, quoting the application reference APPLY.

15.2. Under the Data Protection Regulation, no information will be provided to third parties who are not candidates in the procedure.

16. False statements:

Any false statements made by candidates will be punished in accordance with the law.

17. Other applicable provisions

17.1. Policy on non-discrimination and equal access

The University of Porto actively promotes a policy of non-discrimination and equal access; consequently, no candidate may be favoured, given preferential treatment, disadvantaged or deprived of any right, nor exempted from any duty on the grounds of, in particular, their ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family circumstances, financial situation, education, social origin or status, genetic heritage, reduced working capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, territory of origin, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, or trade union membership.

17.2. Codes of Ethics, Conduct and Good Practice, and the Code of Good Conduct for the Prevention and Combating of Harassment and Discrimination

The University of Porto is governed by the Code of Ethics, the Code of Conduct and Good Practice, and the Code of Good Conduct for the Prevention and Combating of Harassment and Discrimination at the University of Porto, available at https://www.up.pt/portal/pt/conhecer/sobre-a-uporto/etica-e-conduta

Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto, (date of 28 September 2026 (date of publication of the notice)

The Director of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Porto, Professor João Pedro Xavier, PhD.

DECLARATION

For the purposes of complying with the provisions of Article 10 of the University of Porto’s Research Grant Regulations, I hereby declare that:

• I have not entered into any research grant contract to date under the EBI;
• To date, I have entered into the following research grant contract(s) under the EBI:

Type of Scholarship | Start Date | End Date | Contracting Entity

I further declare that I meet the eligibility requirements for this scholarship, as required under the terms of the aforementioned regulations.

To the best of my knowledge, I hereby certify and sign this declaration.

Date ___/___/___