13-11-2025
NOVA FCT is at the forefront of the first international call of the Journalism Science Alliance, an innovative programme led by NOVA, the European Journalism Centre and NOVA FCSH. This initiative awarded nearly one million euros in grants to 24 collaborative projects, bringing together teams of journalists and scientists from 15 European countries.
Portugal is represented by four teams, one of which includes participation from NOVA FCT: Farol de Ideias / NOVA FCT. This project will investigate the environmental risks associated with the construction of the new Lisbon airport for the Baixo Tejo-Sado aquifer system, the largest freshwater reserve on the Iberian Peninsula. The teams are made up of pairs of journalists and researchers (Daniel Deusdado, Farol de Ideias / João Joanaz de Melo, NOVA FCT) combining scientific, journalistic, and academic experience in pursuit of rigorous and interdisciplinary investigation.
The remaining selected national projects will be developed by Público / NOVA Medical School, Expresso/INESC TEC, and Fumaça/ISPA, addressing respectively: the analysis of the world of wellness digital influencers, the role of TikTok in the rise of the far-right among young Portuguese people, and the relationship between parole and the socioeconomic conditions of inmates in Portugal.
The Journalism Science Alliance is coordinated by António Granado (NOVA FCSH) and its scientific and management committee includes NOVA professors and researchers: Ana Sanchez (ITQB NOVA), Pedro Coelho (NOVA FCSH), Paulo Nuno Vicente (NOVA FCSH), and Eudora Ribeiro (ITQB NOVA/ICNOVA).
The main objective of the programme is to bring journalism and scientific research closer together, promoting an innovative funding model for evidence-based investigative journalism projects. Grants are awarded to multidisciplinary teams for periods of two years, with each project lasting eight months.
NOVA FCT’s presence among the selected projects symbolises the School's commitment to civic engagement, applied research, and the promotion of scientific literacy within society.
