On “Dia do Técnico”, celebrated on May 23, 2025, Professor André Furtado was honoured with the Técnico Excellence in Teaching Award in the 2nd cycle category, for his outstanding teaching in the course Concrete Structures I. The award was presented by Professor Miguel Teixeira, President of Técnico’s Pedagogical Council.
Proposed by the Pedagogical Council and awarded annually, this distinction recognises and encourages teaching excellence at Instituto Superior Técnico. It is based on student feedback through the Quality System for Curricular Units (QUC) surveys, with recipients achieving the highest possible score (9 out of 9) across all evaluation criteria.
In his acceptance speech, Professor André Furtado described the award as one of the most meaningful recognitions a Professor can achieve, as it reflects the appreciation of his students. He expressed his gratitude to them, particularly noting their strong academic performance. He also extended thanks to his colleagues who teach the group of courses on Concrete and Prestressed Concrete, especially those who co-teach the course Concrete Structures I, with whom he wished to share the award.
He gave special acknowledgement to Professor Eduardo Júlio (also a CERIS researcher) for his mentorship and friendship since Professor André Furtado first joined Instituto Superior Técnico and the Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment.
Professor André Furtado expressed his hope that the teaching practices recognised by this award may inspire students and spark a passion for structural engineering, especially in the field of concrete structures. He concluded by emphasising what he believes are the core values of the teaching profession: teaching with passion, motivating with authenticity and inspiring by example.
Watch the full speech here.