On 25 March 2026, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, hosted the signing ceremony for the partnership agreement with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at the Civil Engineering Museum, Alameda campus. The event marked the start of the third three-year period of collaboration between the two institutions and featured the presentation of the ‘Best in Class’ Academic Merit Award by BCG, which recognises students with the best performance in the Management curricular unit.
The ‘Best in Class’ Academic Merit Award by BCG 2024/2025, worth €1,600, was awarded to José Martins e Costa, an undergraduate student in Engineering Physics at Técnico. The student highlighted the importance of the support he had received throughout his studies, saying he was “deeply grateful and honoured”. Thanking his family, colleagues and the curricular unit professors, he emphasised the importance of management “for any engineer, regardless of the path they may take”.
Duarte Serra (Undergraduate Programme in Applied Mathematics and Computation), Martim Marques (Aerospace Engineering alumnus), Paulo Pinto (Undergraduate Programme in Chemical Engineering) and Vasco Freitas (Biomedical Engineering alumnus) also received Honourable Mentions.
Rogério Colaço, president of Técnico, emphasised the strategic importance of this partnership, stating that “BCG is more than just a member of Técnico Partner Network; it is a friend of Técnico”. He also highlighted the cross-disciplinary nature of the Management curricular unit, which is taken by all undergraduate students, noting that the distinguished students “are the cream of the crop” and that this recognition serves as “a motivating and inspirational moment”.
BCG representative, Carlos Elavai, Director and Partner, reinforced the consultancy’s commitment to talent development and the importance of management skills in engineering education. “Our award reflects what we believe in: a world of opportunities and a way to promote talent”, he said, adding the company’s enthusiasm for supporting and recognising the best students.
The ceremony also included the presentation of a donation to the Department of Engineering and Management (DEG) to improve the quality of teaching. José Rui Figueira, a professor and head of the department, thanked BCG for the recognition and highlighted the importance of such initiatives in “strengthening links with industry” and “enhancing the student experience” at Técnico.
The protocol renewal reinforces the joint commitment between Técnico and BCG to promoting academic excellence and bridging the gap between engineering education and the business world, ensuring the continuation of the merit award for the next three academic years.
