About Us

AT THE SERVICE OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

FCCN is a branch of FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (the Portuguese national funding agency for science, research and technology), the principle objective of which is planning and managing the RCTS – Rede Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade (Science, Technology, and Society Network).

RCTS is a digital research infrastructure, which transcends all areas of knowledge and covers the entire national territory.

Its services are provided by means of a high-performance network for education and research institutions, thus ensuring communication requirements and advanced digital services for the various user communities from these entities.
RCTS is also a test platform for applications and advanced communication services.

Where we are and our contact details.

PILLARS OF ACTION

FCCN offers academic and national scientific communities a wide range of services, grouped under the following Pillars of Action:

CONNECTIVITY

High-performance connectivity services to the RCTS network and authentication and authorization services. This includes the RCTS IP, RCTS Plus, RCTS Lambda, RCTS Fiber, RCTS VoIP and Eduroam services.

COMPUTING

Advanced computing, storage and data sharing services. RCTS Housing and the National Distributed Computing Infrastructure (INCD) are included in this context.

COLLABORATION

Services that promote and facilitate community collaboration and promote scientific dissemination using multimedia solutions. The services Colibri, Videocast, Studio, and Filesender are included in this context.

KNOWLEDGE

Services that ensure access to scientific information sources, both in open-access schemes and through subscription to prestigious journals. It also includes structural coordination programs between information systems to support science and education activities. B-on, RCAAP, ARQUIVO.PT, Educast and PTCRIS are some examples.

SECURITY

Computer security incident response services and awareness for the protection of those systems. The RCTS CERT, RCTS Certificates, RCTSaai services and operation of call centers that offer service to the public as part of the Safe Internet Project: Alert Line and Help Line.

GÉANT CONNECTION

Via RCTS, the FCCN offers national education and research institutions a set of advanced digital services that not only allow them to work on national projects but also to integrate with or access international research projects and resources.

This ability to access international content is provided through the European network GÉANT, which interconnects with and provides advanced digital services to the European networks for national education and research, of which the RCTS is a national member. These networks are internationally known as NRENs: National Research and Education Networks.

The connection between RCTS and GÉANT offers a privileged cooperation channel for researchers, teachers, and Portuguese students to access infrastructure, data and services worldwide.

KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION

The infrastructure and services provided by FCCN are a critical factor in science development in Portugal, contributing to excellence in national research and increasing European capacity worldwide.

Thirty years after its establishment, FCCN stays true to its history and to the objectives that led to its creation in December 1986, with the name Foundation for the Development of National Means of Scientific Calculus.

Times were different, different words were spoken, but the focus remains the same: to provide academic and research institutions operating in Portugal with the technological means that allow them to excel in science.

Thus, it contributes to the development of a knowledge and innovation-based society.