Quality of Government (QoG) Institute Best Paper Award 2026
Overview
The Quality of Government (QoG) Institute Best Paper Award 2026 is presented by the Quality of Government Institute at the University of Gothenburg. This award recognizes scholarly work centered on the QoG research agenda, which examines impartiality in the exercise of public power and issues where this norm is compromised, such as corruption, clientelism, favoritism, discrimination, patronage, nepotism, and undue support to special interest groups. Submissions across any methodological approach are accepted.
Eligible papers must be published as an article, book chapter, or working paper in a university or recognizable working paper series, and must have been published or presented at an academic international conference between September 2025 and September 2026.
Who can apply
Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD program or hold a higher academic rank, such as postdoctoral researcher or above. Submissions are restricted to one paper per author. Papers can be submitted via self-nomination or nominated by others.
What you get
The recipient receives a one-week visit to the QoG Institute as a guest scholar to present the winning paper or related research. Travel expenses to and from Gothenburg as well as accommodation in Gothenburg are covered by the institute.
Requirements
Submissions must be provided in PDF format and must not exceed 12,000 words, excluding references and appendices. References must follow a standard and consistent citation style. All tables, graphs, and images must be placed within the body of the paper. Entries must be completely anonymized with no author names appearing in the main text. Additionally, all submissions require a one-page motivation statement explaining why the paper is recommended, which applies to both self-nominations and third-party nominations.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online in PDF format by the stated deadline, including the paper and the one-page motivation statement.
Key dates
The application deadline is December 9, 2026. The award announcement will take place in January 2027.