Key Facts
- Funcas delivered the Enrique Fuentes Quintana awards for the 2023-2024 academic course.
- The initiative has been part of the institution's plan since 2006 to reward academic effort.
- Enrique Fuentes Quintana was born in Carrión de los Condes, Palencia, in 1924.
- He served as director general of Funcas from 1981 to 1995.
- He was vice president of the Government of Adolfo Suárez for Economic Affairs.
- This year, submissions surpassed one thousand for the first time in nearly two decades.
Quick Summary
The Foundation of Banks and Savings Banks of CECA (Funcas) has distributed the Enrique Fuentes Quintana awards for the best doctoral theses of the 2023-2024 academic year. This program, established in 2006, recognizes the hard work of university researchers.
The awards celebrate the legacy of Enrique Fuentes Quintana, a prominent economist and former director general of the foundation. For the first time in nearly two decades, the competition received over one thousand thesis submissions. The official award ceremony was held on Friday, December 19.
The Enrique Fuentes Quintana Awards
Funcas officially presented the Enrique Fuentes Quintana awards this Friday. These prizes are designed to recompense the effort, commitment, and work of the authors of the best academic works of the year. Since 2006, this initiative has been a central part of the institution's plan to foster talent within Spanish universities.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the competition saw a significant milestone. The number of theses presented exceeded one thousand for the first time in almost twenty years. This record turnout highlights the growing prestige of the awards in the academic community.
Honoring a Key Economic Figure
The awards bear the name of Enrique Fuentes Quintana, an economist considered decisive for understanding the second half of the 20th century in Spain. His extensive academic and social influence led Funcas to dedicate the prizes to him to further promote talent in Spanish universities.
Born in Carrión de los Condes, Palencia, in 1924, Fuentes Quintana was a professor of Economics and a jurist. He specialized in Hacienda Pública (Public Finance), the field of study to which he dedicated his life. He passed away in Madrid in 2007, and the past year marked the centenary of his birth.
Professional and Political Legacy
Enrique Fuentes Quintana's tenure as director general of Funcas lasted from 1981 to 1995. During this period, he contributed definitively to consolidating the foundations of the institution. His leadership helped shape the organization into what it is today.
His influence extended beyond academia into the political sphere. He served as a senator for the Cortes Generales from 1977 to 1979. He was also the vice president of the Government of Adolfo Suárez for Economic Affairs during 1977-1978 and later served as Minister of Economy.
During his time in government, he played a crucial role in promoting the Pactos de la Moncloa. These agreements were vital in sustaining the economic bases of Spain's Transition to democracy.
Conclusion
The distribution of the Enrique Fuentes Quintana awards underscores Funcas' ongoing commitment to academic excellence. By rewarding the best doctoral theses, the foundation continues the legacy of a man who shaped both the economic and political landscape of modern Spain. The record number of submissions this year proves the enduring relevance of this recognition in the university sector.
