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PhD candidates do not only spend a lot of time and effort on the content of their theses, but also on the design of the book. The Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School presents annual awards for the PhD theses with most outstanding cover and lay-out, defended at the Faculty of Medicine of University of Amsterdam or VU University Amsterdam. Nominations can be made by the PhD candidate and are assessed each year by a panel of jury members. The thesis cover and lay-out should show artistic quality, relevance, and originality

The requirements are as follows:

  • You defend(ed) your thesis at the Faculty of Medicine of University of Amsterdam or VU University Amsterdam as from 1 January 2024
  • You are able to attend the Science & Awards Day, on 7 March 2025
  • Your thesis design (cover, internal layout and appendices) must be a reflection of own creative work (e.g. a self-designed cover, photos, drawings, videos via QR, etc)
  • The design strengthens and clarifies the content of the thesis
  • Thesis that are 100% created by PhD design agencies are not eligible
  • You can only participate once

    The three winners for ‘Most Outstanding PhD Thesis Design’ will be announced during the Science & Awards Day and they will be awarded with a special present, related to (an Amsterdam UMC work of) art

    Necessary documents:

    These are the rules for applying for the Thesis Design Award:

    • Together with your final thesis (but also at a later time is allowed - however, no later than Friday 3 January 2025) submit two extra hardcopies of your PhD thesis (address: Meibergdreef 9, E2-172, 1105 AZ Amsterdam Zuidoost) and send a pdf file as well, to the Doctoral School

      • if you would like your theses returned after the SAD, please include an appropriate self-addressed envelope
      • Also check the for you applicable webpage 'submitting the final version of the thesis' if you are an AMC/UvA or a VUmc/VU PhD candidate

    Note: After sending in the digital PhD thesis to submit, you will receive a confirmation of receipt from the Doctoral School within two weeks. If not, please contact us!

    Tips:

    Selection

    A jury of experienced Amsterdam UMC scientists and art experts will independently review all submissions and evaluate the artistic quality, relevance, and originality of the thesis design. The jury makes a selection n a jury meeting and decides finally on the award winner based on a short video

    • First selection round: In January the jury will make a first selection. All participants will receive an email afterwards
    • If your design has been selected as one of the ten best, you will be invited to explain the artistic quality of the cover and layout of your dissertation and write a substantiation to the relevance and originality of the design
    • Second selection round: If, taking into consideration the substantiations, your design has been seleced as one of the three best, by the jury, you will be invited to compose a 1-2 minutes video about your dissertation, in relation to your PhD research
    • In case yours will be one of the three selected theses, your presence at the afternoon program of the Science & Awards Day, on 7 March 2025, is a condition to be eligible for the prize
    • The video's will be shown during the Science & Awards Day and based on the video's the order of the winners will be announced

    Notification

    • All candidates will receive notification by e-mail from the Doctoral School and learn whether they are nominated, in the third week of January
    • The three nominees will receive further instructions about preparing a 1-2 minute video, to present during the afternoog program of the Science & Awards Day, on 7 March 2025
    • The order of the winners will be announced and they will be awarded

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