The 32^nd award ceremony for the Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching in memory of Vassilis Xanthopoulos and Stefanos Pnevmatikos took place on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, in the Old Parliament in Athens. The Prize was awarded by Η.Ε. the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, for 2021 to Michael Fardis, Professor Emeritus of the Dept. of Civil Engineering at the University of Patras, and for 2022 to Lambros Liavas, Professor of Ethnomusicology of the Dept. of Music at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Prof. Maria Efthymiou, President of the Award Committee, opened the ceremony. The President FORTH, Prof. Nektarios Tavernarakis, gave a historical account of the Award. The work of Michael Fardis was presented by the Emeritus Professor of NTUA, Theodossios Tassios, and the work of Prof. Lambros Liavas was presented by Maria Efthymiou.

At the ceremony, Prof. Evangelos Syrigos, Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, represented the government and Prof. Costas Fotakis, ex-Alternate Minister for Research and Innovation, the official opposition. Among others, the ceremony attended the General Secretary of Higher Education, Mr. Odysseas-Ioannis Zoras, the President of the Standing Committee on Research and Technology of the Parliament, Mr. Christos Tarantilis, the MP Mr. Spyros Pnevmatikos, the Rector of NKUA, Mr. Meletios-Athanassios Dimopoulos, Academicians, Presidents of Research Centers, University members, and a number of colleagues and students of Michael Fardis and Lambros Liavas.

This year marks 32 years since FORTH has established the Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching, an institution that annually rewards excellence and dedication to university teaching.

The professors and researchers Michael Fardis and Lambros Liavas awards stand in memory of Vassilis Xanthopoulos and Stefanos Pnevmatikos, two inspiring professors and brilliant scientists at the University of Crete, who were murdered on the evening of November 27, 1990, while teaching an advanced graduate seminar.

For further information:

Mavrantoni Kalliroi, V. Xanthopoulos- St. Pnevmatikatos Award Committee, Foundation for Research and Technology- HELLAS

Tel. 00302810391509, Email: kalliroi@admin.forth.gr