Research
Looking for candidates for the Spinoza and Stevin Prize
Do you know a researcher affiliated to our university who deserves a Spinoza or Stevin Prize? Someone who conducts groundbreaking research that has international impact on their discipline? Or someone who translates the insights from their own research in an exceptional way, creating demonstrable societal impact? Then suggest this candidate now to your Scientific Director or Director of Research, who may propose the candidate to the dean. Deans and directors of interfaculty institutes can subsequently put forward suitable candidates to the rector for nomination until early May.
Annually, the rector may nominate, in a personal capacity and in strict confidentiality towards the candidates themselves, up to three candidates for these distinguished awards. Also various other parties – including the president of the KNAW on behalf of the four KNAW-domains, de Jonge Akademie and the NWO and KNAW research institutes, as well as the chairpersons of the Dutch Network of Women Professors, the Netherlands Academy of Engineering, the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres, the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities, the TO2 federation, and the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers. Self-nominations are not permitted.
About the Spinoza and Stevin Prizes
Every year, NWO awards four prestigious prizes to exceptional researchers in the Netherlands:
- The Spinoza Prize is awarded annually to two researchers who have carried out - and continue to carry out - groundbreaking research with high academic impact. Research that, by international standards, places them among the very best researchers worldwide.
- The Stevin Prize is awarded annually to two researchers who have achieved exceptional success in the area of knowledge exchange and impact for society. Knowledge utilisation that has led to value creation and/or changes in society (cultural, economic, industrial, ecological, and/or social) and in which the researchers themselves have played a crucial role.
The nominations are assessed by a broad, international committee. The four Spinoza and Stevin laureates each receive €1.5 million as a reward and incentive for their exceptional work. As figureheads of Dutch science, they also inspire early-career researchers.
Criteria and conditions for suitable candidates
The criteria and weighting listed below applied to last year's nominations (2025) and may be subject to changes by NWO for the upcoming 2026 nomination round.
- Candidates should have a permanent position at one of the research institutes in the Netherlands (as defined in Article 1.1, paragraph 1 of the NWO Grant Rules 2017);
- candidates must be able to spend the prize fully before their retirement age, therefore, only candidates who are at least five years away from retirement (AOW) age on 1 October 2026 are eligible (kindly note many previous laureates were between 45-55 years old at the time of nomination);
- candidates may not have already received a Stevin Prize or a Spinoza Prize.
- (Inter)nationally acknowledged scientific quality and impact (weighted at 20%).
- Leadership and the power to attract early-stage researchers (weighted at 20%).
- Knowledge exchange and impact (including outreach activities) (weighted at 60%).
The Stevin Prize is expected to enable the candidate to make substantial advances in applying research results.
- (Inter)nationally acknowledged academic/scientific quality and impact (weighted at 70%).
- Leadership and the power to attract early-stage researchers (weighted at 20%).
- Knowledge exchange and impact (including outreach activities) (weighted at 10%).
The NWO Spinoza Prize is expected to significantly advance the candidate’s research.
For further details on the Prize and the criteria, see the Brochure NWO Spinoza Prize 2025 and read more about previous Spinoza Laureates.
Confidentiality
Given the confidential nature of the nomination procedure, it is not shared which candidates are proposed by the deans for the rector’s consideration, nor who the rector ultimately selects for nomination. If NWO finds that this confidentiality is not guaranteed, NWO reserves the right to refuse the nomination. You can rest assured that, if an internal candidate is submitted to the rector via the dean, their candidacy will be considered with due care.