The Venetian Foundation for Peace Research and EURICSE have opened the call for applications for the Best Doctoral Thesis Award in memory of Professor Carlo Borzaga. The award is sponsored by the University of Trento and promoted in collaboration with the Cooperative Research Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA, CCR), the international EMES research network, and CIRIEC-International.
The award is part of the celebrations of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, proclaimed by the United Nations, and aims to promote studies that rigorously investigate how the cooperative model can strengthen democratic participation, reduce inequalities, and support the development of more cohesive and resilient communities, while also promoting conflict prevention and the peaceful management of conflicts.
In particular, the award encourages innovative studies, including critical and interdisciplinary ones, that offer new theoretical and empirical perspectives on the contribution of the social economy to peace, cohesion, and sustainable development.
Deadlines and Award Amount
The call will be open from 31 December 2025, and applications may be submitted until 30 June 2026. The total prize fund amounts to €2,500, which the Jury may award to one or more theses, dividing the amount among the works it deems deserving. Applications can be submitted at the following link: https://euricse.eu/en/doctoral-thesis-award-in-memory-of-carlo-borzaga/
In addition to the financial contribution, the winning thesis will be invited to publish an excerpt in the international scientific journal JEOD – Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organisational Diversity, published by EURICSE and indexed in Scopus.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible candidates are those who have obtained a doctoral degree from an Italian or foreign university; whose thesis was written in English; who have analysed the role of cooperatives or social economy organisations in promoting peace, democracy, equality, and solidarity; and who defended their thesis between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2026.
Professor Carlo Borzaga
As a university professor and founder of EURICSE, Professor Carlo Borzaga made a decisive contribution to the development of research, the creation of the international EMES research network, and academic training in the sector, with a significant impact on public policies and welfare systems. His vision, which combined scientific rigour with personal commitment, strengthened the role of cooperatives as tools to enhance social cohesion and promote social justice.
“Naming a doctoral award in honour of Professor Carlo Borzaga, with the joint support of so many international institutions and research centres, not only honours his scientific and civic legacy, but also revives his thinking and invests in the future,” said Paola Iamiceli, President of EURICSE, regarding the call. She added: “It is a concrete way of providing space for new generations of researchers committed to studying the role of cooperatives as key actors in social change and peacebuilding.”
Key Dates
- Opening of the call: 31 December 2025
- Application deadline: 30 June 2026
- Announcement of winners: not before 1 November 2026
