Witteveen+Bos Scriptieprijs 2026: Participatory design
Witteveen+Bos Scriptieprijs 2026: Participatory design
Have a chance to win €3,000 with your thesis on participatory design!
| Who is it for? | bachelor and master students from all programs |
| Deadline: | September 15, 2026 |
| Grand prize: | €3,000,- |
| Judged by: | a panel of experts and faculty members |
| Award ceremony: | November 12 in Utrecht |
Will you be our next winner?
Why participate?
- Showcase your research and inspire others with your insights
- Meet experts from Witteveen+Bos and expand your professional network
- Increase your visibility within the field and put yourself on the map as a young professional
- Win a cash prize of €3,000 and the prestigious Witteveen+Bos Sustainable Design Certificate
The Thesis Award has two winners and will be awarded to the high professional and university thesis that contributes most to and/or has the greatest impact on the (further) development of the sustainable design principle “Participatory Design” and that explicitly aligns with at least one of the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
2026 Theme: Participatory Design
This fall, we will be presenting the Thesis Award for the fifth time. Each edition focuses on one of Witteveen+Bos’s seven sustainable design principles. This year’s theme is participatory design.
Participatory design means that content and process go hand in hand. Designing with the community, rather than for the community—that is the essence of participatory design. By actively involving residents, users, and other stakeholders from the very beginning, you create solutions that better align with their wishes, concerns, and ideas. This not only enhances the quality and acceptance of your design but also leads to solutions that are better for the environment and more feasible in practice.
Do you think your thesis contributes to the future of participatory design? Show us how your research can make a difference and apply for the 2026 Witteveen+Bos Thesis Award.
Submission requirements. Your thesis:
- is written as part of a university or university of applied sciences program;
- contributes to and/or has an impact on the (further) development of Witteveen+Bos’s sustainable design principle “Participatory Design”;
- explicitly aligns with one of the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals;
- is innovative;
- is socially relevant;
- is applicable;
- is published in the academic year of the award ceremony, 2025–2026;
- is submitted no later than September 15, 2026, using the form accessible via the button below.
The prize consists of a cash amount of €3,000, which the winner must use to further develop the sustainable design principle. This may take the form of a study (trip), course, conference, project development, or further (talent) development. In addition, the winner will receive the Witteveen+Bos Sustainable Design Certificate.
The jury
The jury consists of experts from Witteveen+Bos and faculty members from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, and Wageningen University & Research:
- Bram Entrop (Saxion University of Applied Sciences)
- Katinka Bos (The Hague University of Applied Sciences)
- Adriaan Mels (Wageningen University & Research)
- Ralph Lindeboom (Delft University of Technology)
- Arjen van Nieuwenhuijzen (Witteveen+Bos)
- Abel Knipping (Witteveen+Bos)
- Tom Wilms (Witteveen+Bos)
- Patrycja Szostak (Witteveen+Bos)
The origins of the Thesis Award
At Witteveen+Bos, we value creativity, passion, and (sustainable) innovations. We see it as our mission to encourage and inspire the engineers of the future to design sustainably. That is why we have awarded the Witteveen+Bos Thesis Award for the first time in 2021. Our Thesis Award is open to all students at universities and university of applied sciences.
Meet the previous winners
Last year, Milena Pashkina won the Thesis Prize for her associate’s thesis. Milena wrote her thesis on the inclusive functioning of public spaces. She used the prize money to pursue a master’s degree in urban development.
Caroline Loe won the Thesis Prize for her university thesis. Caroline conducted research on the social and economic context of the success of the energy transition. She will use the prize money to pursue a graduate program in computational complex systems in Santa Fe.
Important dates
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September 15
Submission deadline
October 20
Jury evaluation
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November 12
Awards Ceremony in Utrecht
Frequently asked questions
It doesn't matter whether your thesis has already been evaluated by your educational institution. The evaluation for the Thesis Prize submission is separate from that.
Your thesis must be written in English or Dutch.
Anyone can enter the Thesis Award, as long as your thesis contributes to and/or has an impact on the sustainable design principle of participatory design.
You can submit your thesis using this form.
