With a minimum physical presence at the headquarters of our foundation, limited to the authorities and award winners, and broadcast by streaming. This is how the 24th University-Society Awards Ceremony of the Social Council of the Universitat de València was held. The event was attended by the Minister for Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carolina Pascual; the Principal of the Universitat de València, María Vicenta Mestre and the President of the Social Council of the Universitat de València and its Foundation ADEIT, María Emilia Adán.
Adán stressed the need for higher education to be a political priority and for universities to be equipped with the means to meet "the demands of this essential public service".
The Principal of the Universitat de València, Mavi Mestre, emphasised the value of these awards as an example of recognition of the talent and trajectory of companies and institutions and of the collaboration between the university and society.
In this 24th edition of the Universitat Societat awards, the Universitat de València Social Council recognised Ford España in the category of Business Patronage; the InAdvance Project of the Universitat de València's Polibienestar Institute in the category of Research and Development with Social Impact; and the Fundación Colegio Imperial Niños Huérfanos de San Vicente Ferrer in the category of Humanitarian Actions.
Alumni Plus Award to Imegen's founder
The founder of the Imegen laboratory, Ángela Pérez, has won the Universitat de València's Alumni Plus award. This category aims to recognise the professional, academic or business excellence of former students of the Universitat de València, with a proven track record that demonstrates an exemplary and particularly relevant contribution to the progress of society. Ángela Pérez, who graduated in Biological Sciences in 1996 at the Universitat de València and founded her first biotech company at the early age of 23, in 1998.
Adán: “We are now more aware than ever that science and research save lives. If we are truly committed to universities, higher education, science and research, then this health crisis will not have unduly damaged our students' education and their future.”
She is currently involved in up to eight business initiatives, focused on genetics and genomics. Among them is Imegen, an international benchmark in human genetic diagnosis. She is currently CEO and chairwoman of the board of directors of this biotechnology company, which analyses more than 22,000 samples a year and invests more than one million euros in R&D projects each year.
Teaching staff awarded in Teaching Excellence
These University-Society Awards also aim to highlight the professionalism of the teaching staff linked to the Universitat de València through the Teaching Excellence Award. In this year's edition, the awards went to Ana Zorio, professor in the Department of Accounting, and Cristóbal Zaragoza, adjunt lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the Universitat de València.
Recognition of Alfonso Maldonado
The event has had a special recognition to the notary Alfonso Maldonado for his time at the head of the Vice-presidency of the Social Council of the Universitat de València and of the Board of Trustees of ADEIT. María Emilia Adán, current president of the Consell, has highlighted the work of Alfonso Maldonado in favour of the Valencian society: "he has been characterised by his generosity, and a strong spirit of civic and institutional service of which his most illustrious ancestors would be especially proud".
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