Nominations Open: UNIC Thematic Lines Best Paper Awards 2026

The call is open exclusively to academics and graduate students affiliated with the ten UNIC partner universities.

The UNIC Thematic Lines Best Paper Awards recognise outstanding scholarly contributions that deepen our understanding of how institutions govern, adapt, and shape justice, security, health, and well-being in post-industrial urban environments. Two awards will be granted and formally celebrated during the UNIC Thematic Conference 2026 at Koç University in Istanbul which holds the topic "Institutions in Transition: Justice, Security, and Well-Being in Post-Industrial Cities". 

You do not need to submit your paper to the conference to be eligible. Papers must simply be relevant to the intellectual theme of the conference.

Eligibility

The award is open to:

• • Academics, Master's students, and PhD students affiliated with a UNIC partner university;
• • Original scholarly work authored by the applicant and written in English;
• • Published or unpublished papers.

Self-nominations and nominations by colleagues are welcome.

Thematic Scope

All nominated papers must relate clearly to the themes of the 2026 conference.

We particularly welcome work in three broad areas:

(1) Justice, Security, and Institutional Dynamics
For example: How institutions build or lose legitimacy and public trust; Democratic participation, accountability, and the rule of law; Digitalisation, data governance, and urban or human security; Access to justice, migration inclusion, discrimination, and rights.

(2) Health and Well-being in Post-Industrial Cities
For example: Access to and design of urban health and care systems; Social determinants of health and intersectional vulnerabilities; Mental health, belonging, loneliness, and everyday urban life; Digital health, ethics, trust, and governance.

(3) Superdiversity
For example: Belonging and the right to the city; Institutional exclusion or discrimination in housing, health, education, or justice; How everyday administrative, digital, or policy practices produce or mitigate exclusion.

Accepted Scholarly Formats

We welcome a wide range of scholarly approaches, including:

• • Theoretical, empirical, and comparative research;
• • Participatory, transdisciplinary, co-creative, and policy-engaged work;
• • Scholarship on curriculum innovation, experiential learning, or urban pedagogy.

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be assessed on:

• • Contribution to scholarly knowledge;
• • Innovation in theory, method, or empirical insight;
• • Research quality, coherence, and conceptual clarity;
• • Clear alignment with the conference themes.

Collaborative work across UNIC universities and career stages is encouraged.

Award and Use of Funds

• • Two Best Paper Awards will be granted.
• • Each award includes €750 in institutional support, provided through the UNIC fund at the winner's home university.
• • Funds will be transferred to the departmental budget of the winner and may typically be used for:
  • Conference participation;
  • Research materials or books;
  • Travel or fieldwork;
  • Digital equipment for research or teaching.

Use of funds follows local financial rules. For co-authored papers, the award is issued to the applying author.

Please consult the funding allocation rules of your home institution:

• • University of Deusto (PDF link)
• • Malmö University (PDF link)
• • Erasmus University Rotterdam
• • Ruhr University Bochum (PDF link)
• • University of Liège (PDF link)
• • Koc University (PDF link)
• • University of Zagreb (PDF link)
• • University College Cork  (PDF link)
• • University of Lodz (PDF link)

Timeline

• • 16 March 2026 — Submission deadline
• • March-April 2026 — Peer review by academics from at least two UNIC universities
• • April-May 2026 — Final judging by a cross-institutional selection panel
• • June 2026 — Recognition of winners during the UNIC Thematic Conference at Koç University

Peer-Judging Process

• • Each paper will be evaluated by reviewers nominated by WP5 Coordinators at their institutions.
• • Reviews will include a short narrative assessment and a score based on the selection criteria above.
• • A cross-institutional panel will then evaluate top-rated submissions, ensuring balance and representation across UNIC universities and Thematic Lines.

How to Submit

Send nominations to unic@ku.edu.tr (with unic@eur.nl in cc) and include: 

(1) PDF of the paper

• • Filename: Surname_FirstName_PaperTitle.pdf
• • If published: include full citation and note on open access status.
• • If unpublished: indicate working paper status.
  
  

(2) Nomination statement (max. 300 words)
Explaining: Why the paper is nominated, and how it relates to the conference themes.

(3) Lead applicant details

• • Name, position, department, and UNIC institution.
• • For co-authored papers: identify the applying author.

For inquiries or additional information, please contact unic@ku.edu.tr (with unic@eur.nl in cc).

We look forward to receiving your submissions and celebrating innovative contributions to justice, security, and well-being in post-industrial cities through the UNIC Thematic Lines.