João Alcântara, João Simão, João Jacinto and Lourenço Cruz, students of Biological Engineering at Técnico, went to Brno, in the Czech Republic, full of expectations and curiosity, willing to participate in the finals of the largest engineering competition in Europe – EBEC European BEST Engineering Competition. According to the team, which ranked 3rd, this success “proves that hard work, willingness to learn and some spirit of sacrifice are the key to do everything”.

The competition took place from July 31 to August 8 and included several challenges that tested creative limits. The winning teams at each EBEC national or regional rounds competed in one of two categories – Case Study and Team Design – in four different events. The challenges were presented at the beginning of each day and were followed by almost nine hours of work. At the end, the teams presented their work to a jury panel.

The challenges were more related with mechanical and electrical engineering, which explains why the majority of the teams were composed of students from these areas of study. Even so, The Firm competed in the Case Study category and was a successful exception to the rule. “We were certainly one of the teams that presented the most solid solutions for real world projects and this is what companies are looking for”, said the students.

“The teamwork, the capacity to manage time and energy” as well as “the communication and imagination that are developed and improved” are some of the skills developed by the team. According to the students, “the capacity of producing consistent work throughout the several days is also tested, which includes effort management and ability to focus and to work”.

The students of Biological Engineering exclude the possibility to compete in the next edition due to their multiple projects, but do not hesitate to point out that “this is a unique opportunity for personal development, so a continuous participation in this competition would certainly be very positive.”