The Técnico's Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Francisco Melo, emphasized the importance of scholarship ceremonies, stating that "these ceremonies are unique because they have a direct impact on our students' lives." The contract was signed on September 27th with Norberto Vieira, a student of Mechanical Engineering, at the Civil Engineering Museum on the Alameda campus of the Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon.
Norberto Vieira viewed the scholarship as "a vote of confidence in my academic path and my daily effort," thanking the support that allows him to develop his potential "without financial worries." "Thank you very much for continuing to invest in our education and believe in our future," added the student.
Manuel Quinaz, representing the sponsoring company, highlighted the importance of supporting education, considering the initiative an investment. "It's a cause I find very important, and it's one of the gaps we have in Portugal, which is the training and education of people. I think everyone could do a little bit to foster what is important," he stated.
Paulo Fernandes, President of the Mechanical Engineering Department, present at the ceremony, praised these initiatives. "We highly commend these initiatives and this contribution. These scholarships are an incentive to be even better, but there is also a material aspect that is very important," he declared.
Luís Reis, a Técnico lecturer and member of the first-cycle course coordination, also attended. "It's a simple moment, but we value it greatly, and we are here, the entire department, and we want to continue supporting these initiatives because they are extremely valuable to us, to Técnico, and above all, to the students," he affirmed.
Maria de Fátima Reis Vaz, Vice-President of the department, reinforced the importance of interaction between companies and academia, highlighting UPK's role. "We increasingly want this interaction between companies and the Academy," she said.
The UPK Study Scholarships are intended for students of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering with academic merit and financial needs, forming part of a set of scholarships promoted by the Instituto Superior Técnico with the support of patrons.
