External Awards

911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ has been invited to participate in the prizes and awards listed below. Please note that we are only able to submit nominations on behalf of those currently affiliated with 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ.

If you are interested in nominating someone or being nominated, please send all required submission materials to Lara Breckon (l.breckon@imperial.ac.uk) by the VPRE Office deadline (listed below)

If required, please follow the guidance for Letters of Support.

Information on Prizes and Awards

2025 Bhattacharyya Award

Introduction

  • The Bhattacharyya Award is an annual award to celebrate collaboration between academia and industry. A prize of £25,000 will be awarded to the team who best show how industry and universities can work together through sustained, strategic collaboration.
  • The government announced the award in July 2019 as a tribute to Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya CBE FREng FRS, the Regius Professor of Manufacturing at the University of Warwick and founder of the WMG (previously known as Warwick Manufacturing Group). Lord Bhattacharyya was a pioneering advocate for collaboration between industry and academia and for the power of such partnerships to make real world impact.

Criteria

  • The collaboration is expected to have lasted at least five years, still be active at the point of submission, and have spanned across multiple projects, grants, and activities. The collaboration should be focused around an academic team and one or more declared industrial partners – it should not be restricted to a single lead academic but may reflect a wide institutional partnership.
  • Submissions must address the following criteria:
    • Clear evidence of sustained, strategic collaboration lasting at least five years and spanning multiple projects and activities.
    • Why the collaboration is exceptional and deserving of national recognition.
    • How the collaboration is original and distinctive.
    • How the collaboration has specifically benefited the delivery of the institution’s goals.
    • How the collaboration has benefited UK society and globally.

Eligibility

  • The Bhattacharyya Award is open to all UK universities and colleges.
  • Universities and colleges are invited to submit one submission per year.
  • Submissions may be in any discipline. This award is open to submissions which demonstrate exceptional collaborations between academia and industry from all disciplines and not only those within the Academy’s engineering and technology remit. The purpose of this award is to celebrate the very best of academia-industry collaboration as a whole and submissions are encouraged from the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, medical sciences and biological sciences.
  • Submissions may be multidisciplinary or have a more general theme. Cross-university collaborations are eligible, provided they involve genuine, substantive partnerships between institutions. However, at least one industry partner is required for any collaboration.

A submission consists of the following information:

  • Name and contact details of the lead collaborators from industry and academia
  • Basic details about the collaboration: This includes the collaboration start date and a 10-word title of the submission.
  • Narrative submission (not more than 10 A4 pages): This should provide a description of the collaboration; it may include images and/or graphics to illustrate its nature and its effect. The structure of the submission is not prescribed but it should clearly demonstrate, with evidence, how the work meets the criteria for the award (see criteria above).

Full information on the prize can be found on the .

Please note that 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ may only submit one application at an institutional level. Therefore, an internal selection process will be used. We kindly ask HoDs to submit a maximum of one nomination per Department. Nominations will be reviewed by RAG or a subgroup of RAG chaired by the Vice-Provost (Research and Enterprise). 

VPRE Office submission deadline:  Sunday 19th January 2025

2025 Balzan Prizes

911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ has been invited to submit nominations to the following 2025 Balzan Prizes:

  • Atoms and Ultra-Precise Measurement of Time
  • Gene and Gene-Modified Cell Therapy

Call for nominations:

  • Each of the 2025 Balzan Prizes is 750,000 Swiss francs.
  • Half the Prize money will be awarded to the Prize winner in recognition of her/his work. The other half will be destined by the Prizewinner to a research project involving young researchers or research groups.
  • The research proposal will be subject to the approval of the General Prize Committee.

In order to be valid, the nominations must be supported by the following documents:

  • a report (1-2 pages) on the reasons for applying (in Italian, French, English or German);
  • a brief description (one paragraph, in non-specialist language/terms) of the most significant results obtained by the candidate with reference to the subject area of the award;
  • a list of the ten most important publications (complete with bibliographical citations): one or two should be highlighted as recommended reading for non-specialists;
  • a curriculum vitae specifying, among other things, the position currently held, the main academic activities carried out, place and date of birth, nationality, residence and address;
  • a recent photograph (in high resolution, jpg by e-mail to balzan@balzan.it), complete with copyright where applicable.

Additional specifications:

  • Prizes may be awarded to individuals or to small working teams who have produced results jointly. It is to be noted that more than one candidate may be nominated for each prize subject. Furthermore, they do not necessarily have to be part of the institution of the individual making the nomination, nor of the same nationality.
  • Self-applications will not be considered.

For further information and to see the list of previous Balzan Prize winners visit the Balzan website:

VPRE Office submission deadline: Friday 14th February 2025

2025 Princess of Asturias Awards

Call for nominations:

  •  The Princess of Asturias Foundation is a non-profit private institution whose essential aims are to contribute to extolling and promoting those scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of the universal heritage of humanity and to consolidate the existing links between the Principality of Asturias and the title traditionally held by the heirs to the Crown of Spain.
  • His Majesty King Felipe VI was Honorary President of the Foundation since its creation in 1980 until his proclamation as King of Spain on 19th June 2014, following which Her Royal Highness Leonor de Borbón y Ortiz, Princess of Asturias, became the Honorary President of this institution which annually convenes the Princess of Asturias Awards.
  • Aimed at rewarding the scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian work carried out at an international level by individuals, institutions or groups of individuals or institutions, these awards are granted in eight categories: the Arts, Communication and Humanities, Concord, International Cooperation, Literature, Social Sciences, Sports and Technical and Scientific Research.
  • The Awards are presented at a solemn ceremony held each year at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo.
  • The Princess of Asturias Foundation issues a public call for nominations for the 2024 Princess of Asturias Awards, which shall be governed by the following Regulations approved by its Board of Trustees.
  • Further information is available on the

Regulations:

  • The Princess of Asturias Foundation convenes the Princess of Asturias Awards.
  • The Princess of Asturias Awards are to be conferred on those individuals and/or institutions that, through their work and merits in scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian fields, contribute to progress and social well-being in an extraordinary and exemplary way.
  • Furthermore, the repercussions of this work should always be considered in the broadest sense; that is, its contribution to the field should be of international scope and/or be acknowledged at an international level, be longstanding and hence indisputably appropriate.

Nominations may be submitted by:

  • Laureates from previous years;
  • members of the eight Juries, duly convened each year, provided they do not present nominations for the award in the category corresponding to the Jury of which they are a member;
  • Spanish embassies;
  • diplomatic representations in Spain;
  • renowned public figures and institutions;
  • other public figures and institutions invited to do so by the Princess of Asturias Foundation.

The following candidatures shall not be accepted in any case whatsoever:

  • posthumous nominations;
  • heads of state and/or heads of governments, or those who hold office as head of state or government, whether Spanish or foreign;
  • high-ranking institutions of the Spanish State, their members or senior officials of the Spanish Government;
  • Trustees of the Princess of Asturias Foundation at the time of the nomination, or those who have been Trustees within three years immediately prior to the nomination;
  • Jury members or those who have been a member of any Princess of Asturias Award Jury within three years immediately prior to the nomination;
  • individuals, organizations or institutions who apply for the award on their own behalf or on behalf of the organizations they represent.
  • In each and every case, the decision as to whether nominations comply or not with the requirements established in these Regulations, and hence the suitability of the candidatures, ultimately lies with the Princess of Asturias Foundation. Said decision is not open to appeal.

Requirements:

  • Details of the candidature (name(s), address(es), city(ies), country(ies), nationality(ies), telephone(s), e-mail(s))
  • Candidature proposed by (name, position, institution, address, city, country(ies), telephone, e-mail)
  • Merits that demonstrate the international standing of this candidature (2000 characters). Should you require more space, please consider submitting as an additional document.
  • List of documents accompanying the nomination (CV, expressions of support for the candidature, other documents)

Each Princess of Asturias Award is endowed with:

  • a Joan Miró sculpture, symbolizing the Princess of Asturias Awards;
  • a diploma of accreditation;
  • an insignia;
  • €50.000, amount to be equally divided among the Laureates when the award is shared.

VPRE Office submission deadline: Thursday 20th February 2025

2026 King Faisal Prize

Background:

  • The establishment of the  is a token of recognition to an exceptional man in a manner that befits his achievements and honor his memory. Our father’s humanitarian endeavors were devoted to ensuring people’s welfare anywhere, especially in poor countries. His vision was universal at a time when most people were concerned with national issues. Throughout his life, he was keen to provide moral and material support to promote the development of many countries around the world, through long-term economic and social welfare projects. In this regard, the King Faisal Foundation is an international philanthropic organization that strives to embody King Faisal’s dream and aims to make the world a better place by means of charitable projects that are meant to reach the poor and meet some of their urgent needs. As we start our journey in steady steps, our hope is to make that journey great and worthwhile. 
  • The idea of establishing the came out of the belief in the importance of knowledge and science in opening broader horizons in all fields. It also confirms the cause for which the Foundation was established, which is to spread goodness and hope everywhere, and acknowledge and reward the efforts of scholars and intellectuals in the development and welfare of mankind. From the day it was first established in 1979, the King Faisal Prize has been awarded to 275 laureates, from 43 countries. Many of the Prize’s objectives have been reached, and the Foundation has assumed an outstanding leadership in its efforts to honor some of the world’s scholars and scientists has been well acknowledged. In this regard, 21 among the Prize recipients in medicine and sciences were subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize in their respective fields. 

Nominations:

  • The General Secretariat of King Faisal Prize has invited 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ to nominate qualified candidate/s to the King Faisal Prize in Science in the field of “Mathematics” and for King Faisal Prize in Medicine on the topic of “Discoveries Transforming Obesity Therapeutics” for the Year 2026. 

Prize components:

  • A certificate written in Arabic calligraphy featuring the laureate’s name with a brief description of the work for which s/he is awarded the Prize.  
  • A commemorative 24-carat, 200-gram gold medallion 
  • A sum of SR 750,000 (USD 200,000) 

Nomination Statutes:

  • Nominations are accepted from universities, scientific institutions and research centers. 
  • Nominations are not accepted from individuals or political parties. 
  • Nominated works must be published, likely to benefit mankind and enrich human knowledge. 
  • Nominations are not accepted posthumously. 
  • Dissertations are not accepted. 
  • Laureates of King Faisal Prize shall not be awarded the Prize again. 
  • More than one candidate may be nominated, irrespective of their affiliation with the nominating institution. 

Remarks:

  • Nominations are judged exclusively on the basis of scholarly merit. 
  • Nominations may be submitted digitally via KFP website. 
  • Nomination documents and nominated works shall not be returned. 
  • Any nomination not fulfilling all conditions and requirements shall be excluded. 
  • More than one laureate may share the Prize. 
  • The decision of the Prize’s selection committee is final. 
  • Laureates will be announced in January 2026, and the prizes will be presented at an official ceremony later in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Requirements:

  • A detailed CV with a list of the nominee’s publications. 
  • A letter of commitment to present two lectures in his/her field of specialization, at academic institutions in the event s/he is awarded the Prize. 
  • A copy of each nominated paper; the total number of nominated papers should not exceed ten (10). 
  • A copy of each nominated book and/or book chapter. the total number of nominated books and/or book chapters should not exceed five (5). The book’s title cover should be appended with each nominated book chapter. 
  • A recent color-photo of the nominee with high resolution. 
  • An official letter of nomination for each nominee separately, adequately justifying the nomination and outlining the nominee’s achievements in the field of the Prize. 
  • A list of nominated works. 
  • A general information form to be filled by the nominee; this form can be duplicated if more than one candidate is nominated and includes: 
    • Nominee’s Name 
    • Date of Birth 
    • Place of Birth 
    • Nationality 
    • Current Position 
    • Qualification  
    • Field of Specialisation  
    • Summary of Major Achievements 
    • Postal Mailing Address 
    • Contact Details (city code, mobile, country code, email, office phone, home phone) 

VPRE Office submission deadline:  Friday 14th March 2025  

We are also aware of the following open calls for nominations (there is no internal process for these awards) :

  • (deadline April 15th 2025)

  • (deadline April 17th 2025)
  • (deadline April 17th 2025)

Internal Awards

The Sir Michael Uren Prize: celebrating excellence with the College’s most prestigious student prize.  

The prestigious Prize will be awarded annually and honour an outstanding postgraduate student whose research demonstrates real-world impact. This initiative aims to nurture exceptional research talent, acknowledge achievements, and commemorate Sir Michael’s enduring ties with the College. Presented at a College-wide level, the Prize will spotlight the transformative potential of work, prioritising societal impact over and across any specific disciplinary boundaries. 

Traditionally, departmental prizes at 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ have recognised academic excellence, with numerous such accolades existing. These are an important recognition of academic excellence and typically honour individuals whose work stands out—for instance, achieving the highest exam score in their year or presenting the finest doctoral thesis in their field. While a few College-wide awards, like the Outstanding Student Achievement Award, exist, these primarily spotlight external activities and do not include a financial benefit for recipients. The Sir Michael Uren Prize is different, a perpetual College-wide award that celebrates both academic prowess and societal impact, providing a substantial financial award that can genuinely transform the recipient’s life and research. 

One of the core objectives of the Prize is to cultivate academic and impact potential. The financial award will allow the recipients the liberty to pursue their research interests and career aspirations, whether by extending their tenure at 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, innovating a prototype, engaging in a study period at another institution, or in some other way. One of the core objectives of the Sir Michael Uren Prize is to cultivate academic and impact potential. One of the core objectives of the Sir Michael Uren Prize is to cultivate academic and impact potential. The financial award of £20,000 will allow recipients the freedom to pursue their research interests and career aspirations, whether by extending their tenure at 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ, innovating a prototype, engaging in a study period at another institution, or in some other way. 

Applications for the Sir Michael Uren Prize 2025 Now Open

We are pleased to announce that applications for the Sir Michael Uren Prize 2025 are now open. Each department is invited to nominate one exceptional postgraduate student who has demonstrated outstanding achievements and significant impact in their research.

Departments are encouraged to nominate their best candidates using the Sir Michael Uren Prize application form (max 3 pages, Arial, size 11 font). The Head of Department (HoD) or a delegate must approve and submit nominations, with the nominated students confirming their consultation. As nominations are limited to one per department, internal selection processes may be used, as determined by the HoD.

Past winners