Call for the Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award 2026
2nd Call for the Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award
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General Information |
The Alps-Adriatic Rectors’ Conference (AARC) is a network of over 40 universities from the Alps-Adriatic region, which also includes the Western Balkans since more than 40 years. The main goal of AARC is to promote transnational dialogue and cross-border cooperation in the fields of university education and scientific research between Higher Education Institutions across the region. Further, it focuses on transdisciplinary cooperation with different partners in the spheres of culture, industry, arts, business and public institutions.
In order to encourage young scientists of the Alps-Adriatic region to do research crucial to the region itself, the AARC is proud to announce the second Call for Applications for the newly established Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award. |
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Target Group |
Students, graduates and PhD graduates from institutions in the Alps-Adriatic region* • who have written a scientific thesis focusing on the Alps-Adriatic region’s issues. • whose thesis was completed between 1 January 2022 and 31 October 2025 (date of final grading). Theses with the lowest passing/positive grade, as well as theses that did not pass the grading evaluation, will not be considered for the Award. * Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia |
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Award Information |
5 awards with 500€ each
The topic of the scientific thesis shall focus on different EU or European issues, while at the same time being strongly related to the Alps-Adriatic Region as defined in the Statute of the AARC (available under: https://aarc.um.si/statute/). The range of topics admitted may combine various academic disciplines, e.g. by addressing rural development, regional policy, linguistic and cultural diversity, arts, economic, political and legal issues, health and wellbeing, living together in the Alps-Adriatic region or similar as defined concerning the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN*. Theses from all disciplines, as clustered within the ERC** and in all languages of the AARC (i.e. Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, German, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian, Slovene and English as lingua franca) may be submitted. * https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ (as of 16/06/2025) ** https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/ERC_Panel_structure (as of 16/06/2025) |
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Awarding Authority |
Alps-Adriatic Rectors’ Conference (AARC) |
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Closing Date for Applications |
Registration form to be sent till 8 May 2026 Full application 45 days after receipt of link for documentation upload. The Award Committee will not consider late or incomplete submissions. |
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Application Procedure |
First, send in the filled registration form attached to this call to aarc@um.si. You will receive a link to a space to upload your complete application within 45 days of receipt of the notification. Upload the following documents to the link after the online registration: – Curriculum Vitae of applicant (in English) – Complete scientific thesis (copy of original)* – Executive summary of scientific thesis in English (not to exceed 5 pages) – Evaluation of thesis by supervisor at the respective university (in English) – Letter of support signed by the supervisor (in English) *Eligible languages: Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, German, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian, Slovene and English as lingua franca |
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Selection Procedure |
The selection procedure consists of the following stages: • Examination of the formal requirements • Assessment and evaluation of the application by the Award Committee and (external) reviewers according to: o Thematic reference concerning the Alps-Adriatic region o Scientific Quality • Final decision by the Award Committee Please note: The Award Committee’s decision is final. The principle of competition applies to all Awards, i.e. there is no legal entitlement to an Award even if all formal application requirements are met. Legal remedy is excluded. |
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Further Information |
Abstracts of the awarded theses will be published on the AARC website together with a short interview/statement of the authors. The awarded candidates will be informed by the AARC Secretariat in July 2026 via email after the decision of the Award Committee. The winners will be invited to register for participation in the official Award Ceremony taking place in the second half of May 2027 in Zagreb. Participation will be co-financed. |
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Contact Information |
AARC Permanent Secretariat (aarc@um.si) |
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Find out more |
Visit AARC website (aarc.um.si) for more information. |
The AARC encourages all students, graduates and PhD graduates of the Alps-Adriatic region who fulfil the above criteria to apply for the Awards and is looking forward to receiving your application.
Please, ask for the registration Form at your home university, a member of AARC.
Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award 2025
The call for applicants for the next edition of the award will be launched, soon.
Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award launched and presented for the first time
Winners Petra Sušilović and Eugenio Tamburrino, Elisabeth Gutjahr/University Mozarteum Salzburg/AARC President 2023, Suzana Golemi/University of Shkodra/AARC President 2022, Cristina Beretta/University of Klagenfurt/President of the Award Committee (Copyright: Katharina Grafenauer)
In order to encourage young scientists of the Alps-Adriatic region to conduct research that is of crucial importance to the region itself, the Alps-Adriatic Rectors’ Conference (AARC) has proudly launched the Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award.
The Call for Applications for the newly established award, initiated by the AARC Ambassadors of the AAU, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cristina Beretta MA and Ass.-Prof. Dr. Jasmin Donlic M.A, was announced in November 2022. Students, graduates and PhD graduates from institutions in the Alps-Adriatic region could apply – the prize acknowledging outstanding master’s and diploma theses as well as dissertations focusing on topics and issues of the Alps-Adriatic region. Theses from all disciplines as clustered within the European Research Council (ERC) and in all languages of the AARC (i.e. Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, German, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian, Slovene and English as lingua franca) could be submitted.
The Award Committee, chaired by Prof. Cristina Beretta and composed of delegates from the AARC member institutions International University of Novi Pazar, Iuav University of Venice, University of Ca’ Foscari, University of Nova Gorica, University of Pavia, University of Shkodra and University of Klagenfurt, was very impressed by the high scientific quality of the many theses that were submitted during this year’s 1st call.
The 1st Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award was presented on 13 May 2023 within the framework of the AARC Meeting of the General Assembly, honouring two dissertations and two diploma/master’s theses. The winners are (ordered by category and alphabetically):
- Ana-Mari Bošnjak/University of Sarajevo, “Europeanization of local self-government in transition countries” (PhD Dissertation),
- Eugenio Tamburrino/University of Ca‘ Foscari, “Aquae Alpinae: Water in the Eastern Alps during Roman times. Water supply, discharge, management and social aspects” (PhD Dissertation),
- Lisa Mentzl/University of Klagenfurt, “Bees, Balkans, Branding. Slovenia’s Approach to the Staging of National Identity” (master’s thesis), and
- Petra Sušilović/University of Mostar, “Hydraulic numerical analysis of groundwater flow in the area of the left hinterland of the dam of Mostar hydroelectric power plant” (diploma thesis).
The Alps-Adriatic Rectors’ Conference heartily congratulates and thanks all award winners and participants as well as the involved AARC colleagues and institutions, and is very much looking forward to the next edition of the successfully established Alps-Adriatic Scientific Award (the next Call for Applications is currently planned for 2024)!