Young Academics Award

RESPONDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND MAINTAINING HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE ALPS

THE TOPIC

This edition of the Alpine Convention Young Academics Award focuses on the issue of “Responding to environmental changes and maintaining high quality of life in the Alps” and in particular on these related sub-topics:

• Climate action and biodiversity protection through nature-based solutions (NBS):
  • adaptation and mitigation measures in urban areas (urban water management, greening of settlements, urban heat island prevention, etc.)
  • restoration (and protection) of ecosystems and habitats and biodiversity loss prevention
  • management of landscape characteristics important for biodiversity and ecological connectivity
  • soil protection, sustainable management and use of soil
  • NBS for natural hazard risk reduction
  • NBS for sustainable management of forests, agricultural land, and water
• Governance for resilient communities in light of environmental change (at different levels of governance): quality of life aspects in mitigation and adaptation policies, cross-sectoral approaches (knowledge development, practical implementation, participatory processes, awareness raising, sustainability of lifestyles/behaviour)
• Socio-economic aspects of environmental change adaptation and mitigation: cross-sectoral approaches, balancing adaptation and mitigation measures with environmental measures and the economy

THE PRIZES

Three main prizes will be awarded by the Slovenian Presidency and the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention:

• 1^st prize: €1.000
• 2^nd prize: €750
• 3^rd prize: €500

Six additional “Infopoint prizes” will be awarded for pieces of work that are thematically relevant and geographically dedicated to the following Infopoint areas:

• Infopoint Chamonix (FR), awarded by the Community of Communes of the Valley of Chamonix Mont-Blanc: €500;
• Infopoint Domodossola (IT), awarded by the association ARS.UNI.VCO: two nights for two persons with half-board in Domodossola (IT);
• Infopoint Grand Paradis (IT), awarded by Fondation Grand Paradis: six nights for one person at the Hostel “La Mine” in the Miners’ village in Cogne (IT);
• Infopoint Mojstrana (SI), awarded by the Slovenian Alpine Museum: three nights for two persons with half-board in the Aljaž Hut in the Vrata Valley (SI);
• Infopoint Tolmin (SI), awarded by the Soča Valley Development Center: €500;
• Infopoint Villach (AT), awarded by the Infopoint of the Dobratsch Nature Park: €600 and one overnight for two persons with breakfast in the Dobratsch Gipfelhaus (AT).

THE CALL

Read the call for the full requirements and admission criteria as well as the overview of the selection process.

Download the call (EN).

THE DEADLINE

The application period ended on 31 July 2024. The evaluation process is now ongoing and prizes will be awarded on 21 January in the framework of the Alpine Conference in Brdo pri Kranju (SI).

Contact: yaa@alpconv.org