The two Portuguese R&D centers in linguistics that are members of CIPL — the Center of Linguistics of the University of Lisbon (CLUL) and the Center for Studies in Letters (CEL), based at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro with a secondary institution at the University of Évora — have received excellent evaluations in the 2023/2024 research assessment conducted by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), which defines funding and strategic planning for the 2025–2029 period.
CLUL achieved the highest possible grade of “Excellent” (score 5) across all evaluation criteria: the quality and relevance of research, the scientific and technological merit of the team, and the quality of the proposed strategy and activity plan. The review panel highlighted CLUL’s international leadership in Portuguese linguistics, particularly in clinical and experimental linguistics, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, and the preservation of linguistic heritage, including Creole languages. The Center’s strong laboratory infrastructure, robust international collaborations, and significant contributions to education, speech technology, and health were also recognized.
CEL was awarded an overall grade of “Excellent” (score 4.4), with the highest possible score (5) for the scientific merit of its research team. The Center stands out internationally for its pioneering work in the history of linguistics and missionary linguistics, focusing on the Portuguese language and its contact with other languages throughout the Lusophone world. Key assets such as the Portugaliae Monumenta Linguistica digital platform, partnerships with African missionary archives, and academic series on the history of Portuguese grammars and orthographies were particularly praised. CEL was also commended for its advanced training programmes and commitment to preserving linguistic and cultural heritage.
These results reaffirm Portugal’s central role in the global landscape of language sciences. With internationally recognized centers that combine historical depth with scientific innovation, Portuguese research continues to make a meaningful contribution to CIPL’s mission of advancing linguistic scholarship worldwide.
