University of Coimbra Award 2022 goes to António Guterres

The engineer and politician António Guterres, current Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), is the winner of the University of Coimbra (UC) Award 2022. The prize, sponsored by the Santander Portugal Foundation, will be awarded on the 1st of March, during the celebration of the 732nd anniversary of the University of Coimbra.

Born in Lisbon on the 30th of April 1949, António Guterres was Prime Minister of Portugal (1995-2002) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2005-2015). He took office as UN Secretary-General on the 1st of January 2017. (See full biography here)

"The University of Coimbra is honoured to announce Engineer António Guterres as the winner of the UC Award 2022. António Guterres is an outstanding worldwide figure who, in the important national and international positions he has held, has been a constant advocate of sustainability and the promotion of equality, causes to which the University of Coimbra is strongly committed. This convergence of vision, strategy and action, focused on the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, leaves us in no doubt that António Guterres, who also holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Coimbra, clearly deserves this award," said UC Rector Amílcar Falcão, who chairs the Jury.

"As Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres constantly draws attention to the need for global solidarity and the promotion of a new mindset that transcends nations, religions and territories. Given this, and the importance that the Sustainable Development Goals have for Santander, this is a truly fair choice," said Inês Oom de Sousa, President of the Santander Portugal Foundation (Vice-President of the Jury).

Launched in 2004, the UC Award is granted each year to a Portuguese citizen "with clearly recognised merit in his or her professional field - culture, business and management and/or science and innovation - who, during the previous year, has made a significant contribution to the development of people, families, businesses and communities, towards the inclusive and sustainable growth of society". The prize is worth 25,000 euros (10,000 euros for the winner and 15,000 euros for a Santander research grant to support work in a field chosen by the recipient).