The Social Council of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) held its 18th annual awards ceremony this morning, recognizing the work, effort, and achievements of those who contribute to social, economic, cultural, and educational development.

The event took place in the Auditorium of the Rectorate and Social Council building on the Elche campus.

Among those attending the ceremony were the President of the Social Council, Joaquín Pérez; the Rector of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH), Juan José Ruiz; the Deputy Government Delegate in Alicante, Juan Antonio Nieves; the Director General of Universities, José Antonio Pérez; and the Mayor of Aspe, Antonio Puerto.

In the Business and Institutions category, the award went to the Juan Perán Ramos Chair of Family Business at the UMH for being a practical example, in conjunction with the UMH, of what business-university relations should be. In the Research and Transfer category, Professor Javier Manuel Gozálvez Sempere, from the Department of Signal Theory and Communications, received the award in the Research Group category, while Professor Baldomero Coll Perales, also from the Department of Signal Theory and Communications, received the Young Researcher award for the significant social impact of his projects from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Likewise, in the Students category, which recognizes the effort and brilliance of UMH students, the awards went to María Celeste Ruiz Aracil and Carolina Rojas Rubio; while the awards in the Teaching Excellence category were given to Professor Alba Roldán Romero from the Department of Sports Sciences, Professor Luis Payá Castelló from the Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, and Professor David Vila Moscardó from the Department of Art.

The award in the Management Innovation category, which recognizes all innovative ideas and initiatives developed by UMH services, offices, and administrative units, went to the Occupational Observatory Service and the UMH Innovation and Technological Planning Service. The award in the Non-Profit Organization category went to the Rafael Bernabeu Foundation. The Foundation received this recognition for its strong commitment to society, especially in the areas of health, culture, and education. Their work focuses on helping people with limited resources access reproductive medicine treatments, awarding scholarships to students, organizing training activities, and collaborating with academic and medical institutions to promote biomedical research.

The award in the University Sports category went to the UMH Badminton team for their significant achievements, including a bronze medal in the European University Games (EUSA) in the team event. The award in the Social Relevance category (shared) was given to Professor Enrique de Madaria of the UMH Department of Medicine and Dr. José Orts Serrano. In the Technology-Based, Innovative, or Knowledge-Based Company category, the award went to the CREA Center in Elche, led by UMH professors Yolanda Quiles Marcos and María José Quiles Sebastián, which focuses on nutritional recovery and the improvement of physical symptoms, as well as addressing psychological, social, family, and emotional problems. Finally, the Social Council presented the award for Commitment to Equality, Inclusion, and Sustainability to Professor Fuensanta García Orenes of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry for her outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability within the university setting.

Image source: UMH.