The Social Council of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche has presented the awards of the “X edition of the Social Council Awards” in the categories of Companies and Institutions, Research, Students, Teaching Excellence, Innovation Actions in Management, Non-profit Entity, Best University Athlete, Social Relevance and UMH Chairs.

The Student Award has been given to Lucía Rial Álvarez, María del Carmen Pons Torres, and Javier Alonso Álvarez. This award recognizes the students’ academic achievements and values ​​not only their theoretical knowledge but also their experience, professional skills, the European dimension of their curriculum, and their social commitment.

The Research Award in the “Research Groups” category has been awarded to the “Epidemiology of Nutrition” group, led by Jesús Vioque López. In the “Young Researchers” category, the award went to Professor David González-Cutre Coll of the Department of Health Psychology.

The Teaching Excellence Award has been granted to Professors María del Carmen Acosta Boj, from the Faculty of Medicine, and Juana Aznar Márquez, from the Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences in Elche. This award is granted within the framework of an agreement signed between the UMH and the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport.

For its part, the Tele Elx-Radio Marca Group received the Companies and Institutions award. This award recognizes the established track record of this Elche-based media outlet, as well as its ongoing collaboration with the UMH since its inception.

The Innovation in Management award, aimed at UMH services and administrative units, was given this year to the Accounting, Financial Management, and Budgeting Information Service for its “Budgeting Efficiency Project,” presented by Juan Reche Segovia and directed by José López Valero.

The Best University Athlete award has been given to the UMH Men’s Basketball team for their outstanding performance in the University League. An Honorary Award has also been presented to Francisco Escribá Segura, coach of Elche C.F., for his close collaboration with the University’s Faculty of Social and Health Sciences.

Regarding the UMH Chairs, in the Corporate and Patronage Chairs category, the award has been given to the Research Chair in Retinitis Pigmentosa, directed by Professor Eduardo Fernández Jover and funded for over ten years by the Catalan company Bidons Egara S.L. Likewise, in the UMH Institutional Chairs category, which recognizes the achievements of individuals or organizations within each of the University’s Chairs, the awardees were singer-songwriter Adolfo Celdrán Mallol for the Miguel Hernández Chair, historian Juan Martínez Leal from Elche for the Pedro Ibarra Chair, the Elche Misteri d’Elx Choir for the Elche Misteri d’Elx Chair, and the TRAGSA technical team—Nuria Linde Olivares, María Penalva, and José Juan López Calatayud—for the El Palmeral d’Elx Chair, in recognition of their fight against the red palm weevil. An Honorary Award will also be presented to Manuel Campello Esclapez, discoverer of the bust of the Lady of Elche, on the 50th anniversary of his death.

The Social Relevance Award has been given to Mónica Carrillo Martínez, a journalist from Elche, presenter of the “Weekend News” on Antena 3 TV, writer, and regular contributor to programs such as the radio show “A Place Called World.”

The UMH Social Council has finally awarded the Non-Profit Organization prize to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for its social, healthcare, and volunteer work last year in the countries most affected by Ebola.