Pro Dissertatione Iuridica Excellentissima Award

The HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences Institute for Legal Studies has awarded and presented the Pro Dissertatione Iuridica Excellentissima Award since 2014. The aim of presenting the award is the recognition of young researchers’ academic contribution through the celebration of the best PhD dissertations and the promotion of the awardees’ future scientific careers.

The Pro Dissertatione Iuridica Excellentissima Award can be applied for. The application is published by the Institute every second (every even) year before 30 April.

Applications are welcome:

  • with PhD dissertations
  • in the field of legal studies
  • from universities at home and abroad
  • successfully defended
  • in the two years preceding the publishing of the application
  • in the Hungarian, English, French and German languages

Not eligible to apply are the researchers of the HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences in state employment at the time of the publication of the application or in the three years previous to that. Excluded from judging the applications is anyone related to the applicants as well as their immediate colleagues (at different employers, e.g. if they are employed at the same department). In case of a disagreement, the Awarding Committee decides on conflicts of interest.

Applications should be submitted before 30 June of the relevant year by post to the postal address of the Institute (HUN-REN CSS Institute for Legal Studies, 1476 Budapest 100, Postafiók 340.).

The application should contain:

  • two hard copies and one electronic copy of the dissertation as well as the abstract booklet
  • the referee’s reports as well as the defendant’s answers
  • a copy of the PhD degree or a certificate of the successful defence

The Award is given by the Awarding Committee. The Head of the Awarding Committee is appointed by the director of the Institute for an indefinite period of time. The board is made up of the Director, the vice-directors and the heads of the academic departments.

In evaluating the applications, the Awarding Committee will base its decision on the thematic or methodological novelty, the academic or pragmatic significance, the quality and thoroughness of the argumentation, the analysis and the use of academic literature. The decision is preceded by academic review carried out by a researcher of the Institute or an external expert with expertise in the relevant area appointed by the Awarding Committee. The awarding requires the majority of the votes of the Committee. In case of equality of votes, a second voting will decide between the two (or more) most supported candidates. If this too ends in an equality of votes, the head of the Committee casts the deciding vote. The award can be shared by a maximum of two applicants.

The awardee receives an honorary certificate from the Institute and in November, the same year, as part of the Hungarian Science Festival he or she gives a lecture on his or her findings to the researchers of the Institute. The prize winners are also invited to submit a paper based on their dissertation to Állam- és Jogtudomány or Acta Juridica Hungarica.