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awards, competition, Events, Opportunities, other events

MDPI SUSTAINABILITY FOUNDATION WORLD SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

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Application Deadline: 15 December 2025

LOCATION: Switzerland

The World Sustainability Award (WSA) honors individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to sustainability research. Offered by the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, the award recognizes scholarly excellence and transformative impact across disciplines.

The 2026 WSA will honor three awardees, with one selected from each of the three core categories: Biosphere, Society, and Economy. The awards will be officially presented during the World Sustainability Forum 2026.

ELIGIBILITY:

The World Sustainability Award is conferred upon senior researchers in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to sustainability-related scholarship and practice.

The Selection Committee will evaluate nominees according to the following criteria:

Scientific Excellence: Nominees should have a demonstrable record of sustained, high-quality research, either fundamental or applied, conducted within an appropriate disciplinary or interdisciplinary context.

Contribution to Sustainability Pillars: The nominees’ research must address at least two of the three foundational pillars of sustainability, with clearly evidenced impact:

Biosphere: Environmental and ecological systems

Society: Social and cultural dimensions of development

Economy: Economic structures, processes, or innovations

Innovative and Applicable Outcomes: The research must exhibit originality and offer feasible solutions to contemporary sustainability challenges, with potential or demonstrated real-world implementation.

Alignment with Global Agendas: The research should contribute meaningfully to the objectives outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Scholarly Leadership and Influence: There should be evidence of the nominee’s broader influence on the academic or professional community, including leadership roles, mentorship, institutional development, or contribution to policy frameworks.

The nomination process for the 2026 edition will open on Friday, 25 July 2025. Detailed information on eligibility and submission procedures is provided in the dedicated section below. Nominations must be submitted by a qualified third party via the official online platform. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

Following the nomination deadline, the Selection Committee, composed of internationally recognized experts in sustainability, will review all eligible submissions and select the award recipients.

The selected winners will be informed in due course and are expected to attend the award ceremony, which will be held during the World Sustainability Forum 2026.

BENEFIT:

Each winner will receive a monetary prize of 50,000 USD, bringing the total award amount to 150,000.

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awards, Events, Opportunities, other events, PhD/post doctoral

KAUST GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS, 2026

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Application Deadline: January 15th, 2026

LOCATION: Saudi Arabia

The KAUST Global Fellowship Program aims to attract and support outstanding emerging research leaders and scientists from around the world to build their path towards a fully independent career. The program inspires the young generation of scientists and engineers to address global challenges and explore opportunities that benefit humanity. 

ELIGIBILITY:

For an applicant to be eligible for this Fellowship:

Must have been awarded a Ph.D. degree, within four calendar years (i.e., those applying in January 2026, must have received their Ph.D. after January 2022 inclusive);

Must expect to complete their Ph.D. before the start of their Fellowship;

Must be ready to move to KAUST to undertake their proposed three-year research project*;

Must identify in their application a KAUST faculty member who has confirmed and agreed to host them and their research project, if successful.

People of all nationalities are welcome to apply. They encourage female applications to promote a better gender balance in science and engineering.

Candidates must satisfy all Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requirements to obtain resident status.

Proposal Eligibility:

Focus on one or more of the KAUST research priorities: Health & Wellness, Sustainable Environment & Essential Needs, Energy & Industrial Leadership, and Economies of the Future;

Have an outline for a three-year duration;

Follow the budget and financial guidelines of the call;

Use the provided template.

The KAUST Global Fellowship Program supports research projects under the programs of the three KAUST academic divisions: Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Science and Engineering (CEMSE), and Physical Science and Engineering (PSE).

BENEFIT:

Each successful fellow receives up to $40,000 of funding for their research proposal, along with a yearly living stipend of $75,000 plus benefits, including medical insurance, accommodation, schooling for up to 2 children, relocation allowance, and annual travel allowance. The funding allows researchers to prioritize their research on a full-time basis with financial security.

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