Scope and objectives
EARMA Lifetime Achievement Award (LAA)
Each year EARMA members seek to recognise an individual member of their community who over a prolonged period has delivered sustained effort to the European and/or global RMA profession and is widely acknowledged for this activity by their peers within EARMA and by the wider RMA ecosystem. The LAA is the only internally nominated award that EARMA delivers, meaning that nominations are only invited from EARMA standing committees and special interest group members (please note that EARMA Board and Awards Committee are not permitted to nominate candidates for this award).
Normally there is no automatic prize for this award, monetary or otherwise. However, this is at the EARMA Board’s discretion. In past years, a financial contribution has been made towards recipients’ attendance at the awards ceremony during the EARMA Conference.
EARMA Outstanding Contribution Award (OCA)
Each year, EARMA recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the RMA profession across the entire European RMA community. Such a contribution could come in many forms, for example delivering a critical project that has widespread benefits to the sector, organising a significant event to the whole EARMA community or providing support and experience to early stage RMAs. There are many ways to be recognised for this award and proposers for this award are encouraged to submit nominees from all corners of the RMA profession.
Normally, there is no automatic prize for this award, monetary or otherwise. However, this is at the EARMA Board’s discretion and a financial contribution may be approved as a contribution towards recipients’ attendance at the awards ceremony during the EARMA Conference.
EARMA Voluntary Service Recognition Awards (VSR)
Each year, EARMA seeks to recognise extraordinary effort of individual members towards EARMA-related activities such as contributing to EARMA events or initiating and maintaining EARMA’s special interest groups. The Voluntary Service Recognition Awards (VSRs) celebrate the efforts members invest in improving the EARMA association for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.
Nominations for the VSR Award can be made in writing by any EARMA member. Nominations are invited from all members of the EARMA community, including national and international RMA associations/networks and nominations by EARMA standing committees and special interest groups are especially welcomed.
Normally, two awards of €500 will be made each year. This is at the EARMA Board’s discretion and, where made, will be in the form of a financial contribution towards recipients’ attendance at the awards ceremony during the EARMA Conference.
Eligibility and deadlines
EARMA Lifetime Achievement Award (LAA)
The following eligibility rules must be met:
- Nominees must have a minimum of ten years’ active experience in Research Management and Administration (given the nature of the award, it is likely that this will be significantly more).
- Nominees must be active members of and contributors to EARMA, consistently in good standing and have been so for at least the previous ten membership years.
- Board and Awards Committee members are ineligible and remain so for 3 years after the end of their term.
Nominees need not be involved in the application process. However, self-nomination is not permitted.
EARMA Outstanding Contribution Award (OCA)
The following eligibility rules must be met:
- Nominees must have a minimum of two years’ experience in Research Management and Administration (given the nature of the award, it is likely that this will be significantly more).
- Nominees must be members of EARMA in good standing and have been so for at least the previous membership year.
- Board and Awards Committee members are ineligible and remain so for 3 years after the end of their term.
Nominees need not be involved in the application process. However, self-nomination is not permitted.
EARMA Voluntary Service Recognition Awards (VSR)
The following eligibility rules apply:
- Nominees must be proposed by no less than two members of the EARMA community, one a proposer and one a seconder.
- Nominees – and the proposer / seconder - must have a minimum of two years’ experience in the Research Management and Administration profession.
- Nominees – and the proposer / seconder must be members of EARMA in good standing and have been so for at least the previous membership year.
- Board and Awards Committee members are ineligible to receive the VSR and remain ineligible for 3 years after the end of their term.
Nominees need not be involved in the application process. However, self-nomination is not permitted.
Selection criteria
The Awards Committee will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:
- Alignment with EARMA's mission: EARMA's Mission.
- Contribution to professional development and current work in research management and administration.
- Effectiveness of measures to publicise the event and disseminate knowledge gained.
Each criterion carries equal weight.
Please also refer to EARMA’s general terms and conditions, noting that EARMA Invited Speaker Award rules take precedence. You will need to calculate and justify the funding that you are applying for.
Application process
Lifetime Achievement Awards: nominations for this award can only be made by members of EARMA Standing Committees* and Special Interest or Thematic Groups.
Outstanding Contribution Award and Voluntary Service Award: nominations for these awards can be made by any colleague, national and international RMA associations/networks, as well as members of EARMA standing committees* and special interest or thematic groups.
* To avoid potential conflict of interests, nominations are not permitted from the EARMA Board and the Awards Committee, both of which play a critical role in the decision-making process.
Nominations need to be clearly written and present a well-reasoned case for their choice of nominee. Nominations must set out a clear case for the nomination and make concrete references to the nominee’s activities, achievements and relevance to the overall objectives of the award as stated above. Nominees with at least two nominations will be considered. The two written nominations can be submitted together or separately, by people based in different organisations to demonstrate the breadth of the contribution being outlined. Each nomination can address only one type of award for only one nominee.
The nomination can be provided in any format but we do ask proposers to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Normally a page per reference is sufficient, there is a 2-page limit per reference.
- The reference can take any form, although a signed letter on headed paper is most traditional, PDF format.
- The two references need not be the same, indeed if they highlight different parts of the contribution made by the nominee then the application as a whole is likely to be stronger.
Each nomination should contain at least the following core information:
- Name, organisation and contact details of the referee/proposer;
- Name, affiliation and contact details of the nominee;
- Short overview of the candidate including current position, short CV and a short written case for their nomination being put forward for consideration;
- Outline the achievements and/or contribution made by the nominee to EARMA and to the European/global RMA community and/or profession:
- Being specific about what they did and why it was important.
- Include specific timescales.
- Giving evidence for any achievements cited, please be as concrete and specific as possible.
- Be “signed” by the referee making the nomination.
Deadline
Deadline for all three named awards: February 21, 2025
Evaluation and notification
All nominations must be addressed to the EARMA Secretariat and sent via email to earma@earma.org stating “LAA” or “OCA” or “VSR” in the subject line, by February 21, 2025. All nominations received by that time will be forwarded to the Chair of the Awards Committee, normally no later than two working days after the submission deadline. Each nomination received in time will be evaluated by the EARMA Awards Committee (AC). The AC will inform the EARMA Board, which will ratify the AC decision at the regular EARMA Board meeting. The awardee will receive a written notification and will be invited to the INORMS Congress 2025 in Madrid (May 06-08, 2025) via EARMA staff.
Please find the schedule below to learn more about the awards:
EARMA Awards Committee: 2024/25 Awards Schedule
