Societal Impact Award

The award panel has set a number of criteria to assess the proposals and compare the candidates. In your proposal, try to make it clear as to what extent your initiative meets (some of) these criteria:

1. Societal profile: the project or initiative is based on teaching or research activities but is demonstrably linked to societal partners and practices.
2. Impact: the project or initiative represents a powerful societal intervention and results in different points of view, notions or actions in relation to a societal issue.
3. Innovative: the project or initiative brings together research/teaching and societal partners and practices in an innovative, contemporary or remarkable manner.

Furthermore, it is important that:

A. demonstrable result has been or will be achieved;

B. The activities represent societal responsibility;

C. The activities are recognised and supported by the stakeholders

This year's  Societal Impact award will be presented at the REBO New Year's Meeting on 13 January 2025. The deadline for nominations is Friday 20 December at noon.

You can send your nominations to: miprijsrebo@uu.nl. Please indicate whether your proposal refers to a student or staff nomination.

Nominations must include the following documents:

• A short description in Dutch or English (max 1 A4) of the achievement/project based on the three main criteria (see above: 1, 2, 3 and a, b, c);
• A short underpinning or explanation (max 1 A4) of the societal impact, which demonstrates the link with the faculty;
• A short explanation (max ½ A4) of what the award would imply for you and how the amount of € 1,000 would benefit the project.

Additional requirement for the student award:

• A short CV and study progress report of the candidate or team of candidates.

The award panel first shortlists three student projects, three staff projects and three alumni projects from all of the submissions, and subsequently decides on a single winner in each category.

The panel assesses the project, its content, approach, and societal impact. Not only must it comprise a poignant description, the underpinning must be sound and show a societal impact. The project may also be striking and original.

The jury consists of the members of the Board of Impact (faculty staff and students).

Societal Impact Award submission conditions

In order to win the award, the student, staff member or alumnus must be nominated in writing. A team can also be nominated if they jointly delivered the achievement or were in charge of the project.

Students and staff can nominate themselves as well as someone else. When you nominate yourself, please add the names of two people who can further elaborate on your project.

Regulations

• Regulations concerning the Societal Impact Award: Staff (pdf, in Dutch)
• Regulations concerning the Societal Impact Award: Students (pdf, in Dutch)
• Regulations for the Societal Impact Award: Alumni (pdf)

In 2017, the Impact Award was handed out for the first time. The winners were Marij Swinkels, Hilke Grootelaar and Elena Valbusa for their InclUUsion project and Francesca Ali for the Taste before you waste project. Read more about the winners here: Incluusion and Taste before you Waste winners of the Societal Impact Award 2016.

In 2018, colleagues Paulien de Morree and Herman Kasper Gilissen were jointly awarded the prize for the Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights Foundation (SIPHR). Read more about this project here: Legal aid clinic in Rwanda: "The telephone helpline is a great tool". This foundation transfers knowledge about human rights in the African Great Lakes Region and also boasts a legal advice centre. The student award went to Gerben Hiemstra, who helps setting up study societies at MBO schools.

In 2019, the Societal Impact Award was won by a group of students who voluntarily contributed to the Legal Consultation Hour for Detainees in the prisons in Nieuwegein and Nieuwersluis. During this weekly consultation hour, the students visit detainees in pairs to help them with legal questions of any nature, such as about rent law, dismissal law, fines, custody, the prison regime or legal procedures; questions that their lawyers often have no time to help them with. The Societal Impact Award for staff was won by Peter Linde and Jeroen Vermeulen, founders and coordinators of the Learning Lab Overvecht. Four years ago, this lab was launched as the outcome of an Erasmus+ project about 'Community Enterprise Action Learning' and since then has developed into a university wide teaching innovation programme on 'Community engagement'. Read here about the 2019 winners: Societal Impact Award for students giving Legal Aid to Prisoners and for teachers in Learning Lab Overvecht.

In 2020, Robert Helder, lecturer in notarial law, won the prize in the staff category for his volunteer work with the police, which he helps to track down financial crimes. The Impact Prize for students went to the internationally oriented project The Legalist, by Egyptian Waleed Mahmoud, student in the Legal Research Master programme. Read more about both winners here: Citizen detective Robert Helder and "Legalist" founder Waleed Mahmoud win Societal Impact Award.

In 2021, the winner among the students was Myra Bledoeg with the ‘Wet Feet’ project, a literal visualisation of the effects of climate change by projecting rising water levels on the University Hall building. In the Employees category, the winners were Marie-Jeanne Schiffelers and Scott Douglas with the ‘Low Literacy’ project.

In 2022 student Salim Benali won for the Inspiration & Motivation meetings he organises: themed meetings with a different guest speaker each time who shares his/her experiences and engages in conversation with the young people. Winner among employees was the Leadership in Culture programme. the LinC team consists of Paul Adriaanse, Iselien Nabben, Marcella Ponsen, Annelinde Schrijver, Marjolein Verhallen and Fleur Winnen.

In 2023, students Marc Hanna and Giel Heeringa won with their project on the Constitution; read more at Giel and Marc organised a striking mural on the Dutch Constitution. The staff initiative prize was won by associate professor of political science Hans Vollaard (together with many colleagues, including Harmen Binnema, Lisanne de Blok, Madelinde Winnubst, Ekatarina Rashkova, Herman Havekes, Karlijn Landman and Marcel Boogers) for several projects on democracy.