The French and Dutch governments established the Descartes-Huygens Prize in 1995 to draw the attention of the public and researchers to Franco-Dutch relations in science and scholarship.

The prize is awarded on a rotating basis to researchers in the humanities and social sciences, the natural sciences, and the life sciences. By agreement, the Netherlands selects the French candidate for the prize, and France selects the Dutch candidate.

The prize, a grant of EUR 23,000 intended to cover the cost of a French researcher’s research residence in the Netherlands, encourages scientists and scholars to dedicate themselves to their careers.

Disciplines

Natural sciences; life sciences ; humanities; social sciences

Who is it for?

A researcher who has contributed to Franco-Dutch scientific and scholarly cooperation, has been judged outstanding by peers, enjoys international renown in his or her discipline, and is prepared to spend approximately six months – either consecutively or spread out over multiple visits – as a visiting researcher in the Netherlands. Preference is given to candidates who have an active career ahead of them, because the prize is intended as an investment in future collaboration.

Nomination and award

The Descartes Huygens Prize 2013 will be awarded in the field of humanities and social sciences. Nominations can be submitted until 1 July 2013. Please use the nomination form at the right hand side of this page.