On December 22, Instituto Superior Técnico signed the first rental contract as part of the “Quarto e Quartos” accommodation scholarship programme. The first scholarship holder is Vicente Duarte, a displaced student from Elvas starting his undergraduate programme in Computer Science and Engineering and will now be accommodated near the Alameda campus.

“Congratulations. I hope you make good use of this scholarship and that it helps with your studies”, said Alexandre Francisco, Vice-president of Técnico for Academic Affairs, at the ceremony. Vicente Duarte expressed his gratitude and stressed “this scholarship is a great help in practical terms – it will, in a way, ‘amplify’ my studies”. The student from Elvas believes that the proximity of his room to the Técnico campus will allow him to study at the university for a longer time, without spending so much time travelling.

“The scholarship aims to give an opportunity to someone who needs it”, explained the patron on behalf of ‘Quarto e Quartos Operações, Modoramo Lda’, the Técnico’s partner organisation in this protocol. “I also have experienced what it’s like to study at university in the morning and work at night,” he added, emphasising that the scholarship aims to relieve students of this burden. “It’s not easy to find affordable accommodation in Lisbon, so this will certainly make a difference”, added Alexandre Francisco.

The “Quarto e Quartos” programme is aimed at students with Portuguese citizenship, enrolled in the 1st cycle of studies in any course, with financial difficulties and academic merit and whose tax address is outside the Lisbon metropolitan area.