5th edition of the Prize for Pedagogical Excellence Professor Doutor Diogo Freitas do Amaral
- 23 de September de 2025
NOVA School of Law is delighted to announce the 5th edition of the Prize for Pedagogical Excellence Professor Doutor Diogo Freitas do Amaral, created in 2021 with the aim of distinguishing, promoting and disseminating educational models of excellence that meet today’s pedagogical challenges, promoting quality teaching, capable of providing a transformational and intellectually challenging learning experience.
Last year, in its fourth year, the award was presented to Professor João Cura Mariano, in recognition of his transformative impact on student learning.
At the ceremony, Professor Rita Calçada Pires, represented by Leonor Marcos (representative of the undergraduate students on the Pedagogical Council), emphasised that Professor Mariano is a “master of his subjects who goes beyond theoretical knowledge” and “opens up real paths of learning by adopting a pedagogical method that involves, challenges and inspires students, always with a closeness and empathy that cannot be taught — it is felt“.
Having left NOVA School of Law in 2023 to take up the position of President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Professor Cura Mariano’s absence is keenly felt by all. As Rita Calçada Pires recalled, he “transforms the experience of learning into true magic“ and is known among students as our ‘magician’.
Domingos Amaral, son of the founder and first Director, Professor Diogo Freitas do Amaral, presented the award in a tribute that reinforced the pedagogical excellence and inspiration that teachers such as Professor Cura Mariano leave on new generations.
Awarding the Prize for Pedagogical Excellence
The Prize embodies public recognition of pedagogical excellence, intending, in particular, to recognize the capacity for pedagogical innovation of its faculty, contributing to disseminating good practices developed in the academic year immediately preceding its attribution, in curricular units of any type.
The Prize is awarded annually and is decided in October of each year with reference to the immediately preceding academic year.
Faculty members or teams of faculty members who have taught one or more degree courses of any type within the degree cycles in the academic year immediately preceding the award of the Prize, are eligible for the award, regardless of the nature of their link to NOVA School of Law.
The members of the Pedagogical Council will present for deliberation the reasoned nominations of six candidates, three nominated by the teaching members and three nominated by the student members.
The deliberation will be preceded by a discussion of the merits of the different nominations, as determined in the light of their justification.
Evaluation
Any reasoned proposals subscribed by one or more faculty members or students of the NOVA School of Law community will be considered. These proposals should be sent to the chair of the Pedagogical Council by email between the first and the last day of September of the academic year following that to which the award refers.
Proposals should be sent during the month of September to conselho.pedagogico@novalaw.unl.pt.
Prize Announcement
The award will be announced by the President of the Pedagogical Council at the NOVA Law School Day ceremony, scheduled for 29 October, which may be attended by a close relative of Professor Diogo Freitas do Amaral.