The CEI-Smart Energy awards reach their tenth edition

Writing/Raúl García Hémonnet

The Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) and the University of Alcalá (UAH) have organized these awards for the tenth consecutive year with the aim of promoting, supporting and encouraging collaborative research between both public institutions in Madrid.

The awards ceremony was held in the historic Paraninfo of the University of Alcalá and was presided over by the rector of the URJC, Abraham Duarte, and the rector of the UAH, José Vicente Saz Pérez, accompanied by the vice-rector of Transfer and Scientific-Technological Structures of the URJC, Fernando Martínez Castillejo.

In this 2025 edition, the CEI 'Smart Energy' Awards have recognized the best lines of research developed at URJC and UAH within the fields of clean and smart energy, infrastructure and Smart Cities, reinforcing the role of both universities as benchmarks in innovation and sustainability.

The awards are distributed across five categories: Best Scientific Contribution, Best Doctoral Thesis, Best Master's Thesis, Best Bachelor's Thesis, and Best Patent. The selection of submissions was based on criteria of excellence, quality, and social and economic impact, with particular attention to the applicability and innovative nature of the research.

In this call, a total of 15 researchers from the Rey Juan Carlos University have been awarded for the quality and relevance of their work, which contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the development of sustainable technological solutions with a real impact on society.

During the ceremony, the Rector of URJC, Abraham Duarte, addressed the authorities, the award recipients, and the audience. In his remarks, he emphasized that energy “is much more than a resource: it is the foundation of our well-being and quality of life,” and underscored the shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and knowledge transfer. He also congratulated the award winners for developing projects that combine creativity and scientific rigor, transforming research into real solutions with social impact and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

With this tenth edition, the CEI 'Smart Energy' Awards consolidate an initiative that strengthens the collaboration between URJC and UAH, promotes research excellence and highlights the value of inter-university cooperation to generate progress and improve people's lives.