MDPI Sustainability Foundation World Sustainability Award 2026 ($150,000 in prizes) Deadline: 15 December, 2025

Applications for the MDPI Sustainability Foundation World Sustainability Award 2026 are now open. The World Sustainability Award (WSA) honors individuals who have made groundbreaking contributions to sustainability research. Offered by the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, the award recognizes scholarly excellence and transformative impact across disciplines.

The 2026 WSA will honor three awardees, with one selected from each of the three core categories: Biosphere, Society, and Economy. The awards will be officially presented during the World Sustainability Forum 2026.

Award

• Each winner will receive a monetary prize of $50,000, bringing the total award amount to $150,000.

Eligibility

• Nominees must be senior researchers with a strong international track record in sustainability-related research.
• Submissions must come from third parties familiar with the nominee’s work and impact.

Selection Criteria

The World Sustainability Award is conferred upon senior researchers in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to sustainability-related scholarship and practice.

The Selection Committee will evaluate nominees according to the following criteria:

• Scientific Excellence: Nominees should have a demonstrable record of sustained, high-quality research, either fundamental or applied, conducted within an appropriate disciplinary or interdisciplinary context.
• Contribution to Sustainability Pillars: The nominees’ research must address at least two of the three foundational pillars of sustainability, with clearly evidenced impact:
  • Biosphere: Environmental and ecological systems
  • Society: Social and cultural dimensions of development
  • Economy: Economic structures, processes, or innovations
• Innovative and Applicable Outcomes: The research must exhibit originality and offer feasible solutions to contemporary sustainability challenges, with potential or demonstrated real-world implementation.
• Alignment with Global Agendas: The research should contribute meaningfully to the objectives outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Scholarly Leadership and Influence: There should be evidence of the nominee’s broader influence on the academic or professional community, including leadership roles, mentorship, institutional development, or contribution to policy frameworks.

Application

Deadline: December 15, 2025

Download and fill in the Nomination Form.

• Prepare a detailed CV, including a list of most relevant publications and a list of funded projects.

For more information, visit World Sustainability Award.