"UC à Frente" Awards delivered to 34 students
The prize is awarded to the students with the highest GPA who have chosen the University of Coimbra as their first option in the National Call for Applications to Higher Education.
Maria Baptista Almeida, one of the students awarded the UC à Frente prize, says: "Choosing the University of Coimbra (UC) as my first option when I applied meant continuing the history of my siblings, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, who also graduated here". The civil engineering student adds: "Being born and raised in this city, studying at the UC was a decision I made at a very young age".
Gustavo Mourinho, a chemistry student, considers the UC à Frente awards "very important to motivate us to continue our excellent work". "If we can stand on this stage today and make a speech, it's not just the result of our individual work, it's also a reflection of our social and family circumstances and so many other factors," he said, drawing attention to young people who are unable to go to university for financial or mental health reasons, or who drop out before completing their studies.
The 2024 edition of the UC à Frente Awards honoured 34 students from 22 high schools, from the North to the South of Portugal, who had an application GPA of 18 or higher and who had chosen the UC as their first preference in the National Competition for Access and Admission to Higher Education. Accompanied by family members and representatives from their respective high schools, the students received their awards at the University of Coimbra stadium in a ceremony included in the University of Coimbra's Open Week programme.
Cristina Albuquerque, UC Vice-Rector for Education and Student Attractiveness, opened the ceremony, attended by UC Rector Amílcar Falcão.
The ceremony closed with a performance by FAN-Farra Académica de Coimbra. Find out more about the UC à Frente Awards here.
