We're pleased to announce that applications for this year's Research Excellence Awards are now open! Any postgraduate research student (Masters or PhD) may nominate themselves for an award, valued at $1500.

The awards recognise research by VUW postgraduate students that:

• Displays academic rigour, excellence, originality, or creativity

• Advances knowledge in the field or significantly contributes to knowledge

• Is communicated clearly, in a way that an educated but non-expert audience can understand

• Has a demonstrated impact within the scholarly, economic, or wider stakeholder communities

There are up to ten awards to be won, with one award offered for each faculty and one (from any faculty) for research that promotes Māori knowledge and development.

This year, we've removed the requirement for applicants to state what they will spend their award on - the $1500 prize is in recognition of academic excellence, not a grant for further study. As long as you have passed the proposal stage and are currently enrolled at VUW, all postgraduate research students are eligible to apply for an award.

Applicants are required to provide evidence of scholarly research (written or otherwise) in support of their application. Full information on the application and decision-making process can be found here.

Prizes will be announced at the Victorias Awards, held in the Hunter Lounge on 27 November. Applications for the Research Excellence Awards close at 5pm on Friday 27 September, so take a look at all the information and apply now!