The University of Minho celebrates its 50th Anniversary!

The University of Minho (UMinho) celebrated its 50^th anniversary ceremony on 17^th February, with special events in the cities of Braga and Guimarães. The Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato, the Minister of Internal Administration, José Luís Carneiro, and the Secretary of State for Higher Education, Pedro Nuno Teixeira, were among the many personalities who attended the ceremony.

The solemn occasion began with an academic parade, recreating the events of half a century ago. In 1974, the Portuguese Minister of Education, Veiga Simão, arrived in a festive atmosphere to swear in the founding committee of the Academy and its first Rector, Carlos Lloyd Braga. Last Saturday, the parade made its way through the crowds up Braga’s main pedestrian street, accompanied by the songs of the Tuna Universitária do Minho, and ended in the medieval hall of the presbytery.

Minister Elvira Fortunato spoke, as did – from UMinho – the President of the General Council, Joana Marques Vidal, the Rector, Rui Vieira de Castro, the President of the 50^th Anniversary Commission, João Cardoso Rosas, and the President of the Student Union, Margarida Isaías. The Rector pointed out that UMinho has consolidated its internationalisation, particularly in the Arqus European University Alliance, with joint courses and various projects.

The ceremony also included institutional videos, a time for the presentation of diplomas and awards, the Annual Prize for Scientific Merit awarded to Isabel Soares (President of the ProChild Associate Laboratory) and the title of Professor Emeritus awarded to José Vieira, Manuel Rocha Armada, Manuela Martins and Paulo Pereira. Musical entertainment was provided by the UMinho Academic Choir and a brass quartet from the Music Department.

Other important activities took place on Saturday and the day before: the presentation of the Digital Library, the +Higher Education Forum, the inauguration of a mural and an exhibition (which will tour the centres of several cities over the next year) and two concerts of Beethoven’s “9th Symphony”, performed by the UMinho Orchestra and the choirs of the UMinho Music Department and VianaVocale.

The 50^th Anniversary programme includes other activities such as performances, book launches, concerts, international conferences (namely the Arqus Annual Conference in July) and a Braga-Guimarães half-marathon.

The event can now be followed on the UMinho YouTube channel.

News prepared by the Communication and Information Team of the University of Minho.