groundbreaking
research

about the award

Objective
The aim of the Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research is to stimulate internationally outstanding scientific research that is conducted collaboratively. The Award is intended to fund new (potentially) groundbreaking research questions.

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Domains
The Award is presented biennially in four scientific domains: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
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Budget
Per edition the Award consists of prizes of

€1,600,000 for each of the scientific domains Biomedical Sciences and Natural Sciences, and €800,000 for each of the domains Humanities and Social Sciences. The Award is granted to a maximum of one research group per domain. The research group may allocate the funds at its own discretion toward a potentially groundbreaking scientific research project.​

nominations

Candidates
To be eligible for the Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research, the research must already be established, internationally outstanding and groundbreaking, and conducted collaboratively. The research may be international, multidisciplinary, or interdisciplinary and is carried out (among others) at one or more Dutch universities and/or research institutes of NWO or KNAW. The research has generated new questions that are potentially groundbreaking and for which no regular funding is available.

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Nominators
The rectors of the fourteen universities affiliated with UNL are eligible to submit nominations. Each rector may nominate a maximum of one research group for each scientific domain.

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Nomination
The next nomination round will open in the spring of 2025.

selection

Selection

For each scientific domain, an advisory committee is appointed to assess the nominations based on the criteria outlined in the Regulations for the Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research. Within each domain, the advisory committee will select one research group. The Ammodo board will make the final decision on the awarding of the prize.

advisory committee ammodo science award

key dates

Spring 2025
Call for nominations Ammodo Science Award 2026

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September 2025
Deadline for submission of nominations

documents

Regulations Ammodo Science Award
‍for groundbreaking research 2024

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frequently asked questions

What is the Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research?

The Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research is intended to stimulate jointly conducted research that is internationally recognised, high quality and potentially groundbreaking. Each edition, the Award includes a cash prize of €1,600,000 for each of the science domains Natural Sciences and Biomedical Sciences and a cash prize of €800,000 for each of the science domains Humanities and Social Sciences.

What kind of research qualifies for the Award?

Research that is recognised internationally as being of high quality and (potentially) groundbreaking, and which is carried out at one of the fourteen universities affiliated to UNL and/or at research institutes of the NWO or the KNAW. The winning research will have generated new questions that are potentially groundbreaking and for which no other funding is available.

Why is this Award presented to a group?

This Award is intended to provide recognition to all researchers involved in the project. Members of research teams often remain in the shadows because existing prizes tend to focus on individuals, whereas groundbreaking research is usually achieved through collaboration and the result is the product of team work.

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Which scientific domains are eligible for the Award?

The Award is presented every two years in four scientific domains: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.

Who can nominate research for the Award?

Each of the rectors of the fourteen Universities affiliated to the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (UNL) can submit one nomination for each of the relevant disciplines.

When does the nomination round start?

The next nomination period for the Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research starts in the spring of 2025.

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