The University of Macau has created an annual award for the best doctoral or master’s thesis in Portuguese language, law or Portuguese studies, in honour of Macanese writer and lawyer Henrique de Senna Fernandes.

The vice-rector of the university, Rui Martins, confirmed that the award was launched this year, with the first edition selecting a doctoral thesis from the Portuguese Department and another from master of the Law Faculty, among those published in the last three years.

Martins stressed that from 2023, the prize for the best thesis in Portuguese will be on an annual basis with a value of 10,000 patacas (1,200 euros) for each of the winners. The winners will be revealed at a ceremony scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, the Portuguese academic said.

Senna Fernandes practiced law for more than 50 years and was the first president of the Macau Lawyers Association. In addition, he is the most outstanding Macanese in the field of literature, having been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Literature by the University of Macau in 2008.

(Source: Magazine Comunidades)