Two Técnico students awarded at the first edition of the HCI Award in Pathology and Rehabilitation of Construction
The construction company has been a member of the Técnico Partner Network since 2023 and recently awarded Técnico students for the first time.
The first edition of the HCI Award in Pathology and Rehabilitation of Construction took place at the Civil Engineering Museum on 3 July. The ceremony honoured students Guilherme Faria and João Carvalho with an individual prize of 1800 euros, from HCI. The two master’s students in Civil Engineering thanked both the company and Técnico, emphasising the “privilege of learning from professors who are leaders in the field of civil engineering”. The award is given to students enrolled in the Pathology and Rehabilitation of Construction curricular unit.
Rogério Colaço, the president of Técnico, attended the event and highlighted HCI’s role as the school’s first partner in the construction sector within the Técnico Partner Network. “Técnico has always excelled in its civil engineering programme, and this award further enhances this area”, he said. He also highlighted the motivational impact of the award on both students and professors, as well as its contribution to integrating Técnico with society—one of the school’s strategic pillars. “We aim to train engineers capable of contributing to the country’s socio-economic development. Awards like this help us fulfil this mission”, he remarked.
Vítor Lúcio da Silva, chairman of HCI’s Board of Directors, expressed the company’s pride in partnering with Técnico: “We owe this school a huge debt of gratitude, as around 95% of our employees graduated here”. He also acknowledged the challenges the construction sector has faced in recent years, particularly the decrease in young people entering the field. He viewed the award as a crucial incentive for attracting talent and maintaining the prestige of the “Civil Engineering School”.
As part of this award, the company also made a donation of 1,200 euros to the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment (DECivil), to enhance learning conditions in the curricular unit. Luís Calado, Head of DECivil, thanked HCI for its support, emphasising that “the transfer of knowledge between academia and the business sector is fundamental to the evolution of engineering”. Regarding the award-winning curricular unit, he noted “the future of civil engineering also involves the rehabilitation of existing structures”. Referring to the Civil Engineering Museum, where the ceremony was held, he added that “this is where the history of civil engineering is told, we are presenting an award that symbolises the future of this field”.