PhD students and postdoctoral researchers working on Quality of Government topics can submit or nominate a paper for the 2026 QoG Best Paper Award from the University of Gothenburg.
Overview
The award recognises strong early-career research related to the Quality of Government Institute’s broad research agenda. Eligible work may include a published article, book chapter, working paper, or paper presented at an international academic conference within the programme’s stated period.
The winner is invited to spend one week as a guest scholar at the QoG Institute in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Benefits
- Guest Scholar Visit: The winner receives a one-week research visit at the Quality of Government Institute.
- Travel: The Institute covers travel to and from Gothenburg.
- Accommodation: Accommodation during the guest-scholar visit is covered.
- Research Engagement: The winner can interact with QoG researchers and present or develop the work in an international academic environment.
Eligibility
- Career Stage: The author must be enrolled in a PhD programme or hold a postdoctoral or comparable early-career position.
- Topic: The paper must address a topic relevant to Quality of Government research.
- Publication Window: Eligible work must fall within the September 2025 to September 2026 period specified by the award.
- Length: The paper must be no more than 12,000 words, excluding references and appendices.
- Nomination: Authors may nominate their own work or be nominated by someone else.
- Limit: Only one paper may be nominated per author.
How to Apply
- Deadline: Nominations close on December 9, 2026.
- Prepare the Paper: Submit an anonymised version of the eligible paper.
- Prepare the Motivation: Include the required one-page motivation explaining why the work fits the award.
- Submit: Follow the official Quality of Government Institute nomination procedure before the deadline.
