Scientific Research Fellowship (BI) 043/2026

## Role Overview The Scientific Research Fellowship (BI) 043/2026 is a research grant for a bachelor’s degree holder within the scope of the project "Validation and Application of the Agentic Engagement Scale (VAL-AES)" funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). The project aims to adapt, validate, and apply the Agentic Engagement Scale (AES) for the Portuguese population of adult and young adult higher education students, providing a psychometrically sound and reliable instrument to assess agentic engagement, understood as students’ proactive contribution to shaping their own learning process. ## Responsibilities - Conduct a literature review on the constructs of agentic engagement, autonomous motivation, perceived social support, dropout intention, and academic persistence in higher education; - Support the linguistic and cultural adaptation of the Agentic Engagement Scale (AES) for the Portuguese population, contributing to the translation, back-translation, conceptual equivalence analysis, and systematisation of expert reviews; - Collaborate in the preparation of data collection instruments and supporting study materials, including questionnaires and documentation required for the data collection process; - Participate in the identification of and contact with higher education institutions, supporting sampling procedures and participant recruitment; - Assist in the collection, organisation, processing, and management of the project database, ensuring the quality and integrity of the data collected; - Collaborate in the statistical analysis of data related to the validation of the AES and the study of the relationships between agentic engagement, autonomous motivation, perceived social support, and dropout intention; - Contribute to the interpretation of findings and to the preparation of technical and scientific reports; - Participate in the preparation of conference presentations, scientific papers for publication, and other dissemination activities related to the project results; - Collaborate in the preparation of the final project report and in other scientific and management activities. ## Requirements - Bachelor’s degree in educational sciences; - Grades obtained in Research Methodology modules during the undergraduate degree; - Proficiency (oral and written) in English. ## Nice to Have - Additional qualifications in psychology or related fields; - Experience in research projects or data analysis; - Familiarity with statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R); - Knowledge of Portuguese language. ## Benefits - Monthly maintenance allowance of €1,090.98; - 12-month grant, starting in September 2026, terminating on 31 August 2027; - Work at the Research Centre for Adult Education and Community Intervention (CEAD) of the University of Algarve under the scientific supervision of Professor/PhD Liliana Sofia Sequeira Paulos; - Opportunity to contribute to research in educational sciences, with potential for publication and dissemination of project results.