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Special award for doctoral theses relating to the regional economy

University Foundation awards special doctoral prize for the first time

2026-08-21 This year, the Lüneburg University Foundation for Research and Business is awarding the ‘Lüneburg University Foundation for Research and Business Doctoral Prize’ for the first time. The aim of this special award is to recognise, in a high-profile manner, a doctoral thesis that relates to the regional economy. The thesis should also stand out for its academic quality, its potential for innovation and its contribution to the transfer of knowledge and the transformation of society. The prize is worth 3,000 euros. Applications can be submitted online from 24 August 2026.

Only PhD graduates from Leuphana University Lüneburg who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

  • The central research focus of the thesis must have been based at Leuphana throughout the entire duration of the PhD programme and must be relevant to the region.
  • The thesis must have been awarded an overall grade of at least ‘very good’ (magna cum laude or higher).
  • The dissertation must have been submitted to Leuphana University Lüneburg and the defence (oral examination) must have taken place between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2026.

Applications must be submitted online and must include the following documents:

  • Application form: The application form is available in digital format and must include personal details
    as well as information on the academic affiliation (faculty, examiners).
  • Summary of the doctoral thesis: A brief description of the doctoral thesis in German (max. 5,000 characters)
  • Full doctoral thesis in a single copy (German or English)
  • Reports from the first and second examiners of the doctoral thesis (German or English)
  • Statement by the first examiner at Leuphana (German), highlighting the thesis’s specific findings in line with the selection criteria and explaining why the doctoral thesis is suitable for the prize (max. 5,000 characters).
  • Certificate of doctoral degree (copy/provisional copy)
  • If applicable, reception of the dissertation: Publications arising from the dissertation (in particular peer-reviewed journal and conference papers), patents and awards for the work

Please refer to the call for applications for further information; should you be interested, you may also contact the following representatives in the Cooperation Service:

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