Doctoral school

Requirements

• You defend(ed) your thesis at the Faculty of Medicine of University of Amsterdam or VU University Amsterdam in the year 2025.
• You are able to attend the Science & Awards Day, on 6 March 2026.
• 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.
• Theses that are 100% created by PhD design agencies are not eligible.

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 and decides finally on the award winner based on a short video.

• The committee members will meet by the end of January.
• All participants will receive an email afterwards.
• If, taking into consideration the substantiations, your design has been selected by the jury as one of the three best, you will be invited to compose a 1-2 minutes video about your dissertation, in relation to your PhD research.
• In that case your presence during the Science & Awards Day, on 6 March 2026, is a condition to be eligible for the prize.
• The three videos will be shown during the Science & Awards Day.
• Based on the videos the order of the winners will be announced and they will be awarded with a special present, related to (an Amsterdam UMC work of) art.

• Together with your final thesis (but also at a later time is allowed - however, no later than the deadline) submit two extra hardcopies of your PhD thesis to the Doctoral School (Meibergdreef 9, E2-172, 1105 AZ Amsterdam Zuidoost) and send a pdf file as well to the Doctoral School.
• Include a letter (in English) in which you explain the artistic quality of the cover and layout of your dissertation and write a substantiation to the relevance and originality of the design, in max. 200 words.

Note: 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: If the Doctoral School did not receive two extra hardcopies of your thesis, it is not possible to apply for this award.

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

Note: If you would like your theses returned after the SAD, please include an appropriate self-addressed envelope.