REmagine PhD Award

A new milestone in the academic career

The PhD phase is a distinct moment in a research career: no longer the talent-promise stage of the Master Theses Award, and not yet the proof of impact in the later stage of the academic career honoured by the Senior Faculty Impact Award. A doctoral thesis is, for most researchers, the first substantial, independent contribution to their field — a body of work that demonstrates both scientific craftsmanship and the first outlines of an original research and impact pathway.

The DEB PhD Award recognises that moment explicitly and offers recently graduated researchers in the DEB domain a fitting national distinction. It signals to the next generation that there is national space — and a national jury — to celebrate doctoral work that combines disciplinary rigour and evidence of value creation for societal transitions.

Position in the REmagine awards portfolio

The PhD Award is one of three REmagine awards that recognise excellence at three successive career stages, all presented together at the DEB Impact Forum:

• Impact Promise — Master Theses Award: from 2026, the top three finalists per DEB transition theme receive a differentiated prize — €3,000 (winner), €1,500 (runner-up) and €500 (third place) — for 15 prize-winning finalists in total. Third edition in 2026.
• Impact Praxis — PhD Award: 2 winners (1 Business / Management, 1 Economics), €5,000 each. First edition.
• Impact Proof — Senior Faculty Impact Award: 1 winner, €10,000. First edition.

Two parallel tracks

The PhD Award has two tracks — one for theses in the Business / Management domain and one for theses in the Economics domain. The split does justice to the substantive and methodological differences between the two disciplines within the DEB field, and ensures that winners are judged in their own disciplinary context. Each track delivers one winner per edition, for a total of two winners.

Eligibility

1. PhD thesis defended at a DEB faculty between 1 January 2025 and 30 September 2026
2. Single-author thesis (no jointly authored compilations)
3. The thesis demonstrably addresses one or more of the five DEB transition themes and pays attention to broader welfare topics
4. Societal relevance is evident and communicable to a non-specialist audience
5. Maximum 2 nominations per DEB university — one per track
6. Self-nomination is not permitted; the nomination runs through the university's pre-selection process led by the Research Dean

Three evaluation dimensions

The two track-juries assess each thesis collegially against these dimensions, weighed in conjunction. There is no quantitative weighting — a strong candidate need not excel on all three, but must be convincing on several and distinctive overall.

1. Scientific quality and originality — a first substantial, independent and innovative contribution; soundness of method; clarity of argument; visible independence of thought. Open and responsible research practices (open access, open data and code, DORA-aligned output) are part of this dimension.
2. Transition relevance and a humane perspective — does the work substantively address one or more of the five DEB transition themes, from a recognisable broad-prosperity perspective with attention to human well-being, ecological limits and long-term sustainable growth?
3. Scientific voice and societal reach — has the candidate developed a distinct, accessible voice? Quality of the public summary; readability and coherence of the thesis itself; evidence of science communication during the PhD trajectory. Has the work begun to reach into policy, practice, public debate, or a specific sector — and is a credible path to further impact visible for the first years after graduation?