Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching to Prof. Michael Fardis, CEN/TC 250 Vice-Chair

Professor Emeritus, Civil Engineering Department, University of Patras, Greece, Michael Fardis has been awarded the 2021 "Vassilis Xanthopoulos-Stephanos Pnevmatikos" Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching by the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH).

The Award is the only academic prize in Greece that rewards the excellence in academic teaching. The concept of excellence in academic teaching goes beyond "the capacity for clear, comprehensible, interesting teaching while in class. It encompasses all the activities that open new scientific horizons for the students, provide inspiration and guidance through research, impart a sense of scientific values and inspire a quest for truth".

The award to Michael Fardis is of great importance to the “Eurocodes family”. Professor Fardis is currently appointed as Vice-Chair of CEN/TC250: "Structural Eurocodes" (2013-2022) while as chairman of the CEN sub-committee CEN/TC250/SC8 for Eurocode 8: “Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance” (1999-2005), he led the development of its six parts into European Standards.

The University of Patras and in particular the Department of Civil Engineering have expressed warm congratulations and appreciation for having Professor Michael Fardis serving the department in such an exceptional way (read here the announcement in Greek).