The Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award (also the Extraordinary Prize of Bachelor's Degree, Extraordinary Prize of Degree, Special Award of Bachelor's Degree or Extraordinary End-of-Degree Award, ''Premio Extraordinario de Fin de Carrera'' or ''Premio Extraordinario de Licenciatura/Grado'', in
Spanish), is the official and prestigious
university academic award granted annually by each
university in
Spain to university students who have completed their
Bachelor's Degree with the best academic results, the best academic record and with the highest grade point average (GPA) in their class.
It is a Spanish
academic award for the best academic results at university, given to the student with the highest academic standing among their graduating class. It is similar to the
valedictorian used in the
United States, to the ''
dux'' (Latin for "leader"), to the ''Major de promotion'' ("first in class") in
France or to the Academic Excellence Award (Bachelor's Award) or the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award in some universities such as the
Central European University.
The Award
The Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award is
awarded
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
An award ...
annually by the Governing Council of each Spanish
university, for each academic degree that the
university offers (Medicine, Law, Economics, ...), to students who have the best academic records (with an academic record full of distinctions and
Honours).
As a university award, each university approves its own regulations on the awarding of the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award. The extraordinary awards will be granted by the Rector at the proposal of the Centers, Faculties or Schools. The prizes usually have an economic endowment, either in direct mode or in way of exemption of payments in subsequent studies.
Award name
As the prize is awarded by each university, there may be some slight variation in the name, but most universities follow the same name. This award which rewards and recognizes the excellence in academic career is called:
*Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award (''Premio Extraordinario de Licenciatura/Grado'', in
Spanish)
*Extraordinary End-of-Degree Award (''Premio Extraordinario de Fin de Carrera'', in
Spanish)
* Extraordinary End-of-Studies Award (''Premio Extraordinario de Fin de Estudios'', in
Spanish)
* Extraordinary Prize of Degree
or Extraordinary Prize of Bachelor's Degree (''Premio Extraordinario de Licenciatura/Grado'', in
Spanish)
* Extraordinary Degree Award (''Premio Extraordinario de Licenciatura/Grado'', in
Spanish)
Notable people awarded with the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award
Among famous students who were awarded by their university with the Bachelor's Degree Extraordinary Award for having the best academic record of their class at university:
*
Mariano Rajoy, conferred by the
University of Santiago de Compostela.
*
Soraya Saénz de Santamaría, conferred by the
University of Valladolid.
*
Enrique Tierno Galván
Enrique Tierno Galván (Madrid, 8 February 1918 – Madrid, 19 January 1986) was a Spanish politician, sociologist, lawyer and essayist, best known for being the Mayor of Madrid from 1979 to 1986, at the beginning of the new period of Spanish de ...
, conferred by the
Complutense University of Madrid.
*
Mario Conde, conferred by the
University of Deusto.
*
José Ignacio Wert, conferred by the
Complutense University of Madrid.
*
Jordi Solé Tura
Jordi Solé Tura (23 May 1930 in Mollet del Vallés – 4 December 2009 in Barcelona) was a Spanish politician, jurist and one of the co-authors and "Fathers" of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 following Spain's move to democracy. , conferred by the
University of Barcelona
*
Macarena Olona Choclán
Macarena Olona Choclán (born 14 May 1979) is a Spanish politician and state attorney, member of the Congress of Deputies between 2019 and 2022 for Vox, before being allegedly involved in an internal feud that led to her expulsion from the part ...
, conferred by the
University of Alicante.
*
Gustavo Villapalos
Gustavo Villapalos Salas (15 October 1949 – 15 June 2021) was a Spanish academic and politician. He was rector of Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ...
, conferred by the
Complutense University of Madrid.
*
Alberto Oliart, conferred by the
University of Barcelona
*
Pablo Iglesias, conferred by the
Complutense University of Madrid.
*
Cristóbal Montoro
Cristóbal Ricardo Montoro Romero (born 28 July 1950 in Cambil) is a Spanish politician. Hs is a member of the Spanish People's Party. He served as Minister of Finance and Public Administrations of Spain from 22 December 2011 until 1 June 2018, ...
, conferred by the
Autonomous University of Madrid.
*
José Luis Escrivá
José Luis Escrivá Belmonte (born 5 December 1960) is a Spanish economist currently serving as minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration within the Second Cabinet of Pedro Sánchez.
Escrivá, who is expert in econometrics, before ...
, conferred by the
Complutense University of Madrid.
*
Gonzalo Caballero
Gonzalo Caballero Míguez (born 9 January 1975) is a Spanish economist and politician. He is the secretary-general of the Socialists' Party of Galicia (PSdeG-PSOE) since 2017.
Biography
Born in Ponteareas (province of Pontevedra) on 9 January 19 ...
, conferred by the
University of Vigo.
See also
*
Valedictorian
*
Class rank
*
Dux
*
Grade inflation
*
Latin honors
*
Honours
*
Bachelor's Thesis Award
References
{{Reflist
Academic terminology
Academic honours
Qualifications
Education awards
Education in Spain