Supporting and recognizing political scientists
The NKWP is committed to strengthening the visibility of political science in the Netherlands. We promote academic excellence and public engagement through prizes, grants, and the Jan Barents Fund. We also facilitate connections between academia and society.
Els Witte Annual Prize for Political Science
The Els Witte Annual Prize is awarded to the best PhD dissertation in political science (or closely related disciplines) defended at a Dutch or Belgian university. Since 2018, the prize has been named after Els Witte, political historian and leading figure in the discipline.
The prize is awarded annually at the Politicologenetmaal.
The winner receives €1,000.
Nominations
Nominations for the Els Witte Prize must include:
- The completed nomination form
- The dissertation (PDF)
Submissions should be sent before 1 March to:
elswitteprijs@politicologie.nl
Nomination Form – Els Witte PhD Prize
Previous winners and jury reports
Daniël Heinsius Prize for the Best Master’s Thesis
The Daniël Heinsius Prize is awarded to the best Master’s thesis in political science of the past year. The thesis must have received at least a grade of 8 (or equivalent) and demonstrate outstanding theoretical and methodological quality.
The prize is named after Daniël Heinsius, appointed in 1612 as the first Professor of Political Science in Europe (Leiden University).
The winner receives €500.
Nominations
Nominations must be submitted before 1 March to:
Marthe Walgrave
marthe.walgrave@uantwerpen.be
(Please include the thesis as a PDF.)
Previous winners and jury reports
Jan Barents Fund for Political Science and Society
The Jan Barents Fund supports initiatives that enhance the visibility of political science in the Netherlands. The fund is named after Jan Barents, the first Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam.
Examples of eligible activities:
- Workshops with policymakers or practitioners
- Public lectures or debates
- Blogs, social media initiatives, or other forms of online outreach
Each year, several thousand euros are available, with a maximum of €750 per activity.
Application criteria:
- Maximum 2 A4 pages (PDF)
- Description of the activity and expected impact
- Budget and contact details
- Applicant must be affiliated with a Dutch university
- Applications must be submitted at least 3 months prior to the activity
Applications can be sent to the NKWP Secretary via:
secretaris@politicologie.nl