The Santander Foundation awarded several Técnico students, students’ organisations, professors and researchers at a ceremony held on March 28, Alameda campus.
The President of Técnico, professor Rogério Colaço, highlighted the “successful long-lasting” partnership with Santander. Rogério Colaço also stressed the support provided by Santander during the pandemic, namely the preparation of kits.
“This ceremony is very important because it marks the joint work” that has been done, said engineer Marcos Ribeiro, from Santander.
The first scholarships awarded were the PAX-IAX scholarships, which provide support to partial sabbatical leaves abroad for Assistant Professors and Auxiliary Researchers at Técnico, on their tenure-track period. Professor João Ramôa Correia, the coordinator of Técnico’s Mentoring Programme, highlighted the importance of these scholarships at the beginning of the faculty’s early career. Fábio Fernandes, professor at the Department of Bioengineering, also underlined the importance of scholarships and shared his personal experience at Prague University.
The “Bolsas Santander Futuro” and “Bolsas Técnico-Santander Educação” Scholarships were awarded next. The first ones aim at supporting 1st and 2nd cycle students facing financial hardship, with good academic performance. 35 scholarships were awarded, each worth one thousand euros. Preparations are underway to launch a further eleven “Bolsas Técnico-Santander Educação” scholarships, worth three thousand euros, also aimed at students from low socio-economic backgrounds with good academic performance.
This moment was followed by the presentation of the Santander Erasmus scholarships, of one thousand euros each (awarded to twelve students), which are aimed to encourage Erasmus student mobility. The Técnico-Santander Mobility Scholarships were also presented, in the amount of two thousand five hundred euros each, to support students who wish to carry out an Ibero-American mobility programme.
The TecInnov programme was presented at the end of the ceremony. This programme aims to support innovation and entrepreneurship and allows the development of technological projects by the Técnico students’ Organisations and their participation in international competitions.
The ceremony awarded the projects supported in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the projects awarded were AeroTéc for the Olissipo Air Team project, PSEM for the Mobile Energy Sustainability project, TLMoto for their participation in the competition in Imola (Italy), Técnico Solar Boat for their involvement in several international competitions in 2022 and Formula Student Lisboa for their participation in the Formula Student 2022 competitions. In 2023, the projects awarded were AeroTéc for the RED – Rocket Experiment Division project and their participation in EuRoC 2023, Formula Student Lisboa, GameDev Técnico for their participation in the Nordic Game Jam, JUNITEC for their involvement in CrowdCast, PSEM for the Mobile Energy Sustainability project, TLMoto for the TLM04e project and Técnico Solar Boat for their participation in international competitions of solar and/or hydrogen-powered and autonomous boats.
At the end of the session, the Vice President of Técnico for Financial Management, professor Isabel Dias, stressed “this is a moment to celebrate our partnership”, and highlighted the important role of the different Técnico student groups.
