APCP PhD Prize | Statutes
The Portuguese Political Science Association Prize, established in 2008, distinguishes the best doctoral thesis in the field of Political Science, across all its branches and subfields, including, among others, International Relations, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and Public Administration and Public Policy.
The Prize is announced at the biennial Congress of the Portuguese Political Science Association.
Regulations for the Portuguese Political Science Association Prize
Regulations approved at the meeting of the APCP Board held on 18 November 2025.
Article 1 — Purpose
These regulations establish the rules governing the award of the Portuguese Political Science Association Prize, hereinafter APCP, which is intended to distinguish the best doctoral thesis in the field of Political Science, across all its branches and subfields, including, among others, International Relations, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and Public Administration and Public Policy.
Article 2 — Value of the Prize
The Prize has a value of one thousand five hundred euros (€1,500).
Article 3 — Frequency and Deadlines
The competition takes place in the period between APCP Congresses, and the deadline for the submission of applications is 30 September of the year preceding the year in which the Congress is held.
Article 4 — Eligibility and Requirements
The following are eligible for the competition:
a) Doctoral theses written by persons of Portuguese nationality, as well as by foreign nationals who conduct their research at Portuguese institutions or whose theses address Lusophone topics;
b) Theses, whether unpublished or published, that have been successfully defended between 31 July of the year preceding the last APCP Congress and 31 July of the year preceding the Congress at which the Prize will be announced;
c) Theses written exclusively in Portuguese, Spanish, French, English or Italian.
Article 5 — Application
1- Applications shall be submitted electronically, through an online submission area or by email, as made available by APCP when the competition is announced.
2- Each application must include:
a) A PDF file of the thesis;
b) A PDF file of the doctoral graduate’s curriculum vitae;
c) A scanned copy of the certificate confirming completion of the degree;
d) The composition of the doctoral examination committee, where this is not stated in the thesis;
e) An opinion on the work submitted to the competition, issued by a member of the doctoral examination committee who is neither the supervisor nor the chair, containing an assessment according to the criteria set out in Article 7 of these regulations.
Article 6 — Admission of Applications
1- Only applications that fully comply with Article 4 of these regulations and include all the elements referred to in Article 5(2) shall be admitted to the competition.
2- Additional documents or supporting evidence may be requested from the applicant; these must be submitted within fifteen days, failing which the application shall be excluded.
Article 7 — Assessment Criteria
The award of the Prize shall take into account the following criteria:
a) Originality of the work submitted;
b) Scientific grounding;
c) Relevance of the contribution to the disciplinary field.
Article 8 — Jury
1- The Jury shall be appointed by the APCP Board, in an odd number of members, not fewer than three, taking into account the number of theses admitted to the competition and their respective thematic areas. The Jury must include doctoral degree holders of recognised scientific merit. One of its members shall be appointed Chair.
2- Persons who have supervised or co-supervised any thesis submitted to the competition, who have served on the respective doctoral examination committee, or who are in a situation of conflict of interest liable to affect their impartiality, may not serve on the Jury.
3- No member of APCP’s governing bodies currently in office may serve on the Jury.
4- The Jury shall be independent in its deliberations, and the Chair shall have a casting vote.
5- The Jury may decide not to award the Prize or may decide to award it ex aequo, in which case the monetary value shall be divided equally among the winning theses.
6- The Jury may also award honourable mentions, with no monetary value.
Article 9 — Publication of Results
1- The decision of the Jury, once ratified by the APCP Board, shall be final and not subject to appeal.
2- The decision shall be announced at the biennial Congress and published on the Association’s website and official channels.
Article 10 — Final Provisions
1- Participation in the competition implies full acceptance of these regulations.
2- Personal data collected in connection with the competition shall be processed exclusively for administrative and scientific purposes related to the Prize, under the responsibility of the APCP Board, in accordance with the applicable legislation on personal data protection and with the Association’s privacy policy.
For further information, please contact: info@apcp.pt