This unpublished commentary was submitted as a formal critical response to the public consultation on the draft Institutional Research, Development and Innovation Policy (2025–2030) of the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (IPSantarém), open until 13 April 2026. It provides a detailed analysis of the draft policy’s conceptual framework, strategic priorities, institutional coherence, and editorial consistency. The commentary also discusses its alignment with institutional statutes and quality frameworks, as well as with broader national and European policy agendas, with particular emphasis on applied research, territorial embeddedness, education, culture, heritage, open science, and inclusive governance. It is published here as an unpublished document for public record and scholarly reference.