On 4 October, the School of Engineering celebrated its 50th anniversary in the main auditorium of the Azurém campus in Guimarães.
The programme included a speech by the new President of the School of Engineering, Professor António Vicente, who drew an analogy between the age of the school and human age, since EEUM is made up of the people who teach, research, work, study and bring it to life: ‘The School is our people, those who were, those who are and those who are yet to come,’ thus referring to the fact that 50 is ‘the peak of maturity, confidence and opportunity to reinvent the future.’
This was followed by the Harpa Laser performance, created specifically for the celebration of the School of Engineering’s 50th anniversary by Imaginando, an internationally recognised company in the field of software development for music and digital arts, founded by alumnus Nuno Santos, who holds a degree in Systems and Computer Engineering.
The programme included the customary recognition of members of the EEUM academic community, with the awarding of diplomas for teaching merit and scientific publication merit, the awarding of the Teaching Prize to Filipe Portela (Department of Information Systems), the António Guimarães Rodrigues Scientific Publication Award to João Paulo Flores (CMEMS Centre) and the TAG Employee Performance Award to Acácio Costa, Information Systems and Technologies Specialist in the Department of Production and Systems at the School of Engineering. All members who retired during the year were also honoured by EEUM for their commitment and dedication to the academic community.
This year, the Individual Recognition Award was given to Dr. Domingos Bragança, outgoing mayor of Guimarães, and the Company Recognition Award was given to Impetus.
The Presidency of the School of Engineering established the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for the first time this year, with the aim of recognising merit and excellence in activities related to innovation and entrepreneurship. The award was presented to Joana Figueiredo, a PhD researcher at CMEMS – Centre for Research in Electromechanical Microsystems.
These moments of recognition were followed by a speech from the Rector of the University of Minho, Professor Rui Vieira de Castro, who said that EEUM “has taken cooperation with business entities further than any other institution, which has resulted in countless benefits not only for the School, but also for the region. This coordination has resulted in innovation projects that have substantially transformed various sectors of our economy.”
The programme continued with a speech by the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Professor Fernando Alexandre, who congratulated the School of Engineering ‘for its remarkable contribution to the development of the University of Minho, the region and the country’ and emphasised the impact of engineering education and research: ‘engineering schools are key players in addressing the major challenges facing the country — from energy transition to digitalisation, from industrial innovation to sustainability,’ calling for ‘continued investment in knowledge and in valuing the people who make a difference.’
The auditorium programme ended with the launch video of the original ‘Muralha’ by the female engineering tunas, Tun’Obebes, which evokes the connection between the university experience and the historical and cultural identity of Guimarães, reflecting friendship, joy and a spirit of unity.
To sing happy birthday to the School of Engineering, Tunas Afonsina and Tun’Obebes gathered at the entrance to the Nobre auditorium, preceded by the presentation of a diploma of recognition from Tuna Afonsina to the School of Engineering: ‘To our Alma Mater, which, in the variables of the Equation, gave us the constant of Song.’
The session can be reviewed here
More info and photo gallery here
