Técnico student awarded with the SKK Merit Award in Energy and Sustainability
Rafael Moreira was awarded the SKK Merit Award in Energy and Sustainability 2024/2025 for achieving the best performance in the Energy and Sustainability curricular unit. The ceremony took place on 26 September 2025, at Técnico – Alameda campus, marking the 1st edition of this award.
Rafael expressed his gratitude for the award, which amounts to €1,800, highlighting the link between the School and the business sector: “This award is very important, not only for me, but also for future students, as it motivates them to achieve better results”. The student also highlighted the work carried out by Técnico in bringing students and the business world closer together, which is “absolutely necessary for Portuguese talent to assert itself in national industry”.
Pedro Amaral, Vice-president of Técnico for Corporate Interface, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, highlighted the importance of the award: “I would like to sincerely thank SKK, the student in particular, and the curricular unit teaching team, which promoted the award as something that generates added value”.
Manuel Quinaz, CEO of SKK Group, underlined the relevance of energy and sustainability in the company’s operations: “Our environmental concerns — reducing harmful gases and improving energy efficiency — are pressing issues, but so is automation for the development process, which is also a key focus”. Paulo Fernandes, a professor at Técnico, shared: “These awards that promote excellence are important in themselves for recognising outstanding students, but they also allow students to get to know employers better and realise that employers increasingly value academic work”.
The award also included a €1,200 donation to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, aimed at improving the quality of teaching in the curricular unit. The SKK Group joined the Técnico Partner Network in September 2024. The partnership focuses on awarding scholarships and supporting the renovation of learning spaces, with a focus on talent development and social impact.