Africa-Press – Cape verde. Portuguese computer scientist Manuela Veloso and the former President of Cape Verde Pedro Pires will receive “ honoris causa ” doctorates from Iscte, in Lisbon, on Friday , for representing realities created by the 25th of April.The “ honoris causa” doctorate titles from Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa will be awarded in a ceremony that will be attended by the Cape Verdean head of state.
The institute celebrates 51 years and will mark the anniversary focused on the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April and the importance of the establishment of the democratic regime for science in Portugal, as well as for the development processes of Portuguese-speaking African countries.
“ It is the democratic regime that allows the development of science in Portugal and the creation of a scientific community in our country. It is also the 25th of April that allows decolonization and, with it, the development of higher education in Portuguese-speaking African countries ”, says the university’s rector, Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues.
Manuela Veloso, born in Lisbon and professor at Carnegie Mellon University, in the United States, where she obtained her doctorate in 1992, directs the artificial intelligence research unit at the North American bank JP Morgan.
“ In 2019, Iscte inspired the creation of a degree in Data Science, at the time a pioneering training in Portugal, and the launch of the Iscte-Sintra School ”, indicates the institute’s note.
The presentation at the title award ceremony, on Friday, will be made by Jorge Costa, professor of engineering and vice-rector of Iscte for research and technological modernization.
The presentation by Pedro Pires, former Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Cape Verde, will be made by Rui Pena Pires, professor of sociology and researcher in the area of migration.
Pedro Pires was born in 1934 on the island of Fogo, in Cape Verde, and studied at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon. As a young man he joined the liberation movements of the then Portuguese overseas provinces and was a leader of the PAIGC.
Prime Minister of Cape Verde from 1975 to 1991, he played an important role in the transition to multipartyism and the affirmation of democracy in Cape Verde. As his party lost the elections in 1991, he ensured the first peaceful transition of power in his country, respecting the electoral results. He was later President of the Republic of Cape Verde, a position to which he was elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2006, the note highlights.
He directs the Pedro Pires Institute for Leadership, in the city of Praia, whose mission is to promote good governance, political awareness and democracy in Cape Verde and Africa.
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