In 2020 we launched the Rising Star Award as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations. Nurturing and supporting the careers of students and early career researchers has been a key part of the mission of the ECPR since its creation, so this new award is particularly apt.
The Rising Star Award aims to recognise the achievements of an outstanding PhD student or early career researcher in their scholarly life so far and provide them with the opportunity to develop their network and skills even further with ECPR support.
The award will be presented annually to an individual considered to have a particularly promising future in the field of politics and international relations. The winner, who must work or study at an ECPR member institution, will enjoy a year’s free access to a selection of our events.
The nominations for the 2025 Rising Star Award are now closed.
Nominations open 9 June 2025. Nominations close 26 September 2025.
Submitting a nomination
To nominate, please submit the required documents via the Prize Portal.
Each institution may only nominate a single candidate, though nominations may come from any person. We hope this will encourage discussion within each institution, but should more than one nomination be received we will contact nominators and our OR to ask that a single candidate be decided upon.
Nominations must include:
The nominee’s CV
A formal nomination letter
Eligibility
An ECPR Rising Star is:
A current PhD student, or within five years of completing their PhD
If the candidate has, during this time, experienced a delay to their academic career due to parental leave, caring responsibilities, or health issues, the nominator may request an additional year of eligibility
Working or studying at an ECPR Full or Associate Member institution
Academically involved
Please include details of current or previous research projects they have participated in, as well as contributions to journals, books, and/or blogs, or demonstrable commitment to teaching
Socially engaged
A good networker whose contribution to the profession reaches beyond the academy, to provide benefit to the community and wider society
Please include details of their involvement in the academic community, within their institution, country and community; examples of public engagement, teaching and general involvement with other associations/events/institutions; and engagement with ECPR events, activities and publications
ECPR will review each application on its own merits and the arguments of the nominator.