SNIS Award

The SNIS Award was established to encourage outstanding young scientists  at the beginning of their careers. Every year, the SNIS Award is granted for the best PhD thesis received in a Swiss University on a subject related to International Studies.

The SNIS considers that international studies deal not only with the analysis of international relations, but also with political, economic, social, environmental, legal, and health issues that extend beyond national boundaries. Submitted PhD theses can deal with a wide range of academic disciplines, such as political science, economics, sociology, social and cultural anthropology, law, history, geography and environmental sciences.

SNIS Award description

1

Prepare

This award of CHF 10’000 is for authors who have published their theses in the domain of international studies whose findings are accessible to a wider audience and relevant to the work of International Organisations.

2

Check Your Eligibility

Entrants should not be older than 35 years-old and should have completed their PHD in the previous year with a grade equivalent with “summa cum laude”. You will find more detailed eligibility criteria below.

3

Meet the Deadline

The submission window opens on 13th March and the submission deadline is April 15th, 2024 – 13:00h (CET)

Each year the call opens in Spring, usually around end-February. Do not miss the next SNIS Award selection by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on our social media!

Winners

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Submission details

The SNIS awards one prize annually. In case of equally remarkable theses, the SNIS jury can decide to split the prize. It can also decide not to award any prize if no work is deemed of sufficient quality. A thesis that can convince the jury of its reach beyond disciplinary boundaries is a clear asset.

The amount that will be awarded by the SNIS is CHF 10’000.

Applications will be judged by the SNIS award committee composed of experts in one or several areas relevant to international studies as described above.

  • Entrants must have received their PhD degree in a Swiss University in the previous calendar year. The relevant date is that of the presentation of the thesis or, in case the Faculty’s rules require a formal validation of the result, the date of the validation.
  • Entrants must have received either «summa cum laude» or a mark equal or superior to 5.5. If the thesis was defended in a University that does not use grades, the jury reports must be included with the application.
  • Entrants under 35 years at the time of the submission are preferred. Entrants do not need to be citizens or residents of Switzerland.
  • The thesis question(s) must be in the field of the International Studies, as defined above.
  • You must provide two supporting letters, one coming from the thesis supervisor and/or chairperson of the thesis committee, the other from any professor in the field or an additional member of the jury. These letters should comment on the special quality and significance of the thesis.
  • The thesis must be written in either German, French or English.
  • Theses based on multiple and co-authored papers are accepted. Papers written with members of the SNIS Governing Committee or the SNIS Award jury are not eligible.
  • Theses written as part of a SNIS funded research project are not eligible.
  • Click on the “Submit your Thesis” link on the right. The form will appear in a new window.
  • Fill in all the necessary sumbission fields.
  • Submit the form. Please note: once you have submitted the form you can no longer edit it!
  • You will then receive an email that confirms your submission.