MINISTERIO DA CIENCIA, TECNOLOGIA E INOVAÇÃO

Their core work

Brazil's federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) is the government body responsible for national science policy, research funding, and international S&T cooperation. Within H2020, MCTI has served as Brazil's institutional anchor for trans-Atlantic ocean research, representing the country in large-scale marine observation and cooperation initiatives under the Belém Statement framework. The ministry brings governmental authority, policy coordination capacity, and access to Brazil's extensive Atlantic coastline and marine research infrastructure to European consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

MCTI's early H2020 involvement (2015–2017) centered on building the operational infrastructure for Atlantic ocean observation — sensors, data systems, marine forecasting, and fisheries monitoring through projects like AtlantOS and AORAC-SA. In the later period (2018–2023), their focus shifted upstream toward governance and long-term institutional alignment, with AANChOR emphasizing Belém Statement implementation and convergence of EU-Brazil research agendas. The unexpected addition of astrophysics research (POEMS, 2019) likely reflects MCTI's role as an umbrella for diverse Brazilian research groups rather than a strategic pivot.

MCTI is moving from technical ocean monitoring toward strategic governance of long-term EU-Brazil research cooperation, making them increasingly relevant for policy-level collaboration frameworks.

How they like to work

MCTI has never coordinated an H2020 project — they consistently join as a participant or third party, which is typical for non-EU government ministries operating under international cooperation agreements. They work in large consortia (90 unique partners across 25 countries), reflecting their role as an institutional gateway rather than a hands-on research performer. Partnering with MCTI means gaining access to Brazil's national research ecosystem and policy-level endorsement, not bench-level expertise.

MCTI has collaborated with 90 unique partners across 25 countries, reflecting the large consortium sizes typical of Coordination and Support Actions. Their network is heavily concentrated in Atlantic-rim nations, bridging European and South American marine research communities.

What sets them apart

MCTI is one of very few non-European government ministries participating directly in H2020, giving it a rare bridging function between EU and Brazilian research systems. For any consortium targeting trans-Atlantic cooperation — especially marine, climate, or ocean science — MCTI provides institutional legitimacy and access to Brazil's national research infrastructure and policy channels. Their involvement signals government-level commitment, which strengthens proposals addressing the Belém Statement or EU-CELAC cooperation agendas.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AANChOR
  The only project where MCTI received direct EC funding (EUR 114,375), focused on implementing the Belém Statement for long-term EU-Brazil-South Atlantic research cooperation.
• AtlantOS
  A major integrated Atlantic ocean observing system project covering sensors, fisheries, ecosystems, and marine forecasting — the most technically diverse of MCTI's participations.
• POEMS
  An outlier — an MSCA-RISE astrophysics project on massive star physics, showing MCTI's breadth as an umbrella for diverse Brazilian research groups.