The flagship REmagine award — recognising the best Master's theses in economics and business per DEB impact theme. From the 2026 edition onward, all three finalists per theme receive a differentiated prize — €3,000 for the winner, €1,500 for the runner-up and €500 for the third-placed finalist — alongside a certificate and a professional impact narrative.
About the award
The REmagine Master Theses Award is the foundational award of the REmagine programme. It celebrates students whose Master thesis demonstrates exceptional impact promise — academic rigour with potential for societal relevance — within one of the five DEB Impact Agenda themes and with a special attention for Human Centred Economy (HCE) topics. The Award is supported by the Goldschmeding Foundation.
Each year, faculties nominate candidates per theme. The 11-member jury (one chair + two per theme) reviews the nominations and selects, per theme, three finalists: a winner, a runner-up and a third-placed finalist. From the 2026 cycle onward, all three receive a cash prize — €3,000, €1,500 and €500 respectively — together with a certificate and a professional impact narrative. In the 2024 and 2025 cycles only the winner of each theme received a cash prize of €5,000; the inclusive three-tier structure starts in 2026.
Eligibility
- Master thesis defended / Graduation in the academic year preceding the award cycle with excellent end grade
- At a Dutch DEB faculty (economics or business)
- Aligned with one of the five DEB impact themes and attention for Human Centred Economy (HCE)
- Nominated by the faculty (no direct candidate submissions)
2026 calendar
- June 2026 — Preselection by faculties opens
- 1 October 2026 — Faculty nominations close
- 24 November 2026 — Award ceremony at the DEB Impact Forum
The 2025 winners & finalists
Fifteen Master theses competed for the second REmagine cohort — five winners (one per DEB Impact Agenda theme, €5,000 each) and ten finalists nominated by the participating faculties.
Winners — one per theme
5 winnersFinalists
10 finalistsThe 2024 winners & finalists
The first REmagine cohort — fourteen Master theses nominated by the faculties, with five winners (one per theme) and nine finalists. The 2024 cycle piloted the published impact-narrative format that has framed every cohort since.