For more than 40 years, the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg e.V. (UGO) has been promoting academic education at the University of Oldenburg and fostering the university's roots in the region. For the year 2024, it is once again awarding the prize for an outstanding doctorate. This prize is awarded annually to a young researcher for a doctorate carried out at the University of Oldenburg that is particularly successful in academic terms.

The award alternates between subjects in the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies on the one hand and mathematics, natural sciences and medicine on the other: After doctorates from the natural sciences or medical subjects were honoured last year in 2023, the 2024 competition is aimed at doctorates from the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies.

This award also serves to honour the memory of Gerhard Wachsmann, who, as Chair of the UGO, played a decisive role in the expansion of the university and the bond between the city, region and university.

The award comes with prize money of

5,000 euros.

The award is given for doctorates completed in the last two years in the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies. The selection is based on suggestions from professors. It is not possible to nominate oneself. Persons authorised to make nominations may only nominate one candidate at a time for the Outstanding Doctorate Award. Nominees may only be proposed in one award category, i.e. either for the award for excellent research or for the award for outstanding doctorate.

In addition to a copy of the dissertation, at least two expert reports prepared for the assessment of the work, a copy of the doctoral certificate, an academic CV and a recommending statement from the nominating professor must be submitted. This should indicate the particular value of the proposed thesis in a way that is also comprehensible outside the respective narrow field of specialisation. The Executive Board of the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg e.V. decides on the award - without recourse to legal action - on the recommendation of a jury of renowned academics.

The award ceremony will take place in October 2024 as part of the opening event of the academic year.

Proposals (with full address, telephone and email of the nominee) must be submitted by

31 July 2024

Please send your nomination to the email address