Today, the Luso-American Development Foundation launches the new FLAD Political Science Award, which will award the best master’s thesis in the areas of Political Science and International Relations with the participation in the next international congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA), which takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between July 15-19, 2023.

This initiative will reward a student who has completed his/hers master’s degree at a Portuguese university in the fields of Political Science and/or International Relations, and whose dissertation reveals potential for scientific research in his/hers field of study.

The goal is to reward the scientific quality produced by young researchers from Portuguese universities, giving them the opportunity to contact with some of the experts in these areas worldwide, and discuss themes and concepts of Political Science in an international environment.

To this end, the Foundation will finance the registration, travel and stay of the author of the dissertation chosen by the jury to the IPSA International Congress, which will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from July 15 to 19, 2023. In addition, FLAD will also offer the award-winning two years of IPSA membership quotas.

Applications are open between November 24th and January 16th, 2023. Students who have obtained a master’s degree in Portuguese universities no more than three years before the closing date of applications may apply.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must have obtained a master’s degree in the areas of Political Science and/or International Relations at a Portuguese university no more than three years before the closing date of applications.

Abstracts of the dissertations submitted to the jury must be written in Portuguese or English.

Application and selection process

Applications must be submitted through the online form available at this link: https://flad.secure.force.com/CandidaturaMain?language=en.

The competition consists of two phases.

  1. In the first phase, the following documents should be submitted:
  • Summary of the master’s thesis, with a maximum of 850 words (in Portuguese or English);
  • CV (in Portuguese);
  • Letter of motivation (in Portuguese);
  • A letter of recommendation;
  • Certificate of qualifications or Master’s degree.

Applications are open between November 24th and January 16th, 2023.

2. Candidates selected for the second phase of the competition will be notified of the jury’s decision by February 20th, 2023 and will be invited to submit their master’s thesis, previously defended, for consideration by the jury. The dissertation submitted must be written in Portuguese or English.

Dissertations must be submitted between February 20 and 26, 2023.

Jury

Applications will be evaluated by a jury with the following composition:

  • Rita Faden (President of FLAD)
  • Madalena Meyer Resende (Professor, Faculty of Humanities, New University of Lisbon)
  • Miguel Monjardino (Visiting Professor, Institute of Political Studies, Portuguese Catholic University)

Award

The prize to be awarded to the author of the winning dissertation consists of:

  • Payment of round trip and stay in Buenos Aires for the World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA World Congress 2023);
  • Offer of the registration fee in the Congress;
  • Offer of two years of IPSA membership shares.

Evaluation process and selection criteria

Applications will be evaluated by the jury, taking into account the potential of the candidate and the dissertation for the development of quality scientific research.

Applications will be accepted with dissertations on any topic in the area of Political Science and International Relations.

We advise you to read the notice of this contest (Notice – FLAD Political Science Award), where you can find all the details about the prize.