The ceremony, held on November 6th, gathered the academic community in the Institute's Aula Magna and was attended by the Rector of NOVA University Lisbon, Prof. Doutor Paulo Pereira, and various dignitaries, including the Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau in Portugal and representatives from partner institutions.
Professor Doutora Maria do Rosário Oliveira Martins, IHMT NOVA's Deputy Director for Teaching, welcomed attendees, highlighting the reception of new students and the recognition of alumni achievements. The program included testimonials from alumni about their professional journeys, such as those from Doutora Maria da Luz Lima and Doutor Tiago Serra.
A panel moderated by master's student Yaarin Kosta and PhD candidate Gonçalo Alves featured Doutora Carina Borges (WHO Regional Office for Europe) and Prof. Doutor João Borges da Costa, who reflected on current health challenges.
A key moment was the presentation of awards to the best Master's and PhD students for 2025. For Master's degrees, recipients included João Fonseca Lucas (Medical Parasitology), Mariana Perez Duque (Public Health and Development), David Faísca Silva (Biomedical Sciences), and Raffaele Junior Aliberti (Tropical Health). For PhDs, awards went to Aires Januário Fernandes da Moura, Fernanda Gonçalves Ferreira Salvador, Teresa Maria Silva do Nascimento, and Rafael Amorim Rocha (the latter in Tropical Medicine and recipient of the Garcia de Orta Excellence Award). The Merit Scholarship (2023/2024) was awarded to Sara Fonseca (Master's in Biomedical Sciences).
Rector Paulo Pereira concluded the ceremony, emphasizing IHMT NOVA's unique role, the diversity of NOVA University, and its capacity to address global health and One Health challenges. He highlighted the institution's strong international focus, with 65% of students being international, and the value of people and community spirit.
The ceremony concluded with a musical performance by the Brazilian group Bom Pagode, accompanied by dancers Katy and Fran, followed by a social dinner. IHMT NOVA wishes all students, faculty, researchers, and staff an excellent 2026/2027 academic year.
