ISLA Gaia held, on 12 December, the Solemn Opening Ceremony of the Academic Year, bringing together the academic community and invited guests in a programme featuring institutional addresses, musical performances by the Regional Conservatoire of Gaia, and the customary presentation of honours and diplomas.
The ceremony began with a tribute to Professor Manuel de Almeida Damásio, Chairman of the Board of Directors of COFAC, formalised through the unveiling of the plaque marking the new designation of the ISLA Gaia Auditorium, followed by welcoming remarks from Professor António Lencastre Godinho, President of ISLA Gaia.
The Inaugural Lecture was delivered by Professor Agostinho Sousa Pinto, Vice-President of ISCAP, under the theme “From Chalk to Algorithm: A Journey of Humankind”. The lecture addressed timely contemporary issues related to the rapid advance of technology and its impact on society, education, and the development of critical thinking.
In the second part of the ceremony, the programme included the conferral of doctoral insignia, the presentation of honorary commendations, merit scholarships and merit diplomas, and the award of diplomas to graduates.
There were also brief addresses by the representative of the Students’ Association, Mr Luís Manuel Ferreira Amaral, and by the President of the Alumni, Professor Nuno Ricardo Mateus Coelho, before the closing remarks by Professor Manuel Pinto Teixeira, Dean of ISLA Gaia.
