Promoting the development of CVs in a more contextualised and personalised manner, the creation of narrative-format curricula vitae has become increasingly common among the requirements of national and international funding programmes. Among these funding programmes, we can mention, for example, those promoted by the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) or the European Commission/ERC (European Research Council). For funding bodies, the value of this CV model lies in allowing a more qualitative, holistic, and integrated approach to researchers, their scientific activity, and its contributions, as opposed to CV models that rely on more traditional metrics.

In a CV format designed to go beyond mere numbers, this model aligns with the principles of CoARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment), which advocates for a more qualitative assessment of research (e.g., research quality and impact versus simply the number of published articles), inclusivity (e.g., greater ease in reflecting interdisciplinary research paths and career breaks), and the promotion of the impact of scientific work and responsible research practices.

Among the different funding bodies, and noting that their structure varies and it is essential to check for any suggested templates/formats, the narrative CV may follow common sections:

A) Scientific and Curricular Background;

B) Contributions to Science and Society:

i. Contributions to the originality of ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge;
ii. Contributions to the development of skills at an individual and/or team level;
iii. Contributions to the scientific community and society.

C) Training and career development of others (e.g., teaching, mentoring, supervision);

D) Results, scientific output and/or activities that best describe the researcher’s career and research experience;

E) Why the funding is timely at this stage of the career and/or research.

To develop a narrative-format CV, there are tips that can help promote its more effective development.