The Recursos+ Scholarships initiative, which funds the tuition fees for students in the Licenciatura in Mining and Energy Resources Engineering at the Instituto Superior Técnico (ULisboa), celebrated its third edition on October 16. The event, held in the Salão Nobre of the Alameda campus, was attended by 40 scholarship recipients, including students from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years, accompanied by representatives from the 21 companies involved in the project.
The project, which began about two years ago with seven companies supporting fifteen students, has grown significantly. This year, the number of participating companies has tripled, and the number of supported students has increased to 40. Bruna Fradique, a 3rd-year student and one of the first beneficiaries, highlighted the importance of the support for her connection to the course and the opportunities offered by Técnico. Diogo Gao, a 1st-year student, sees Mining and Energy Resources Engineering as a field with a future, resistant to AI, and considers the scholarship an "incentive" to achieve "better results".
Joana Pestana, a final-year student, emphasized that, in addition to financial support, the scholarships allow for a better understanding of the sector's professional prospects and reinforce confidence in the future. During the ceremony, Maria João Pereira, president of Técnico's Department of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineering, announced the increase to 21 in the number of supporting companies and underlined the initiative's impact, reflecting the sector's vitality and the need for qualified human resources.
Pedro Amaral, Técnico's Vice-President for Business Interface, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, praised the initiative as "unique" and "innovative," highlighting its role in transforming engineering and science in Portugal. The ceremony also included speeches from company representatives and students, who expressed gratitude for the support and the "vote of confidence" received.
