Starting in 2026, NWO and UKB will jointly present the annual Leo Waaijers Open Science Award. With this award, UKB, NWO, and Open Science NL recognize and honor initiatives that make a significant, inspiring, and sustainable contribution to the open science movement. These are pioneers who have worked against the tide and thereby set real change in motion. The winner will receive a prize fund prize fund of €50,000. This fund can be used to further reinforce existing initiatives, expand them, or launch new ones.
The nomination process
The prize may be awarded to a single person or to multiple individuals who are jointly committed to open developments. The conditions for nomination can be found in the Leo Waaijers Open Science Award brochure. A jury of open science experts will evaluate the submissions. The winner will be announced during the Open Science Festival on October 14, 2026 in Delft, where the award will be officially presented.