Johannes Kepler University Linz - Karl Leitl Partnership´s Scientific Award

Karl Leitl Partnership Scientific Award

You receive a one-off prize of 500 to 3,000 EUR for a completed academic paper on workplace partnership models. These are topics like employee profit-sharing, modern company forms, fair distribution of income, corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability (ESG) or compliance. The amount depends on what you hand in: 500 EUR for a bachelor's thesis, 1,000 EUR for a diploma or master's thesis, 2,000 EUR for a doctoral or PhD thesis, and 3,000 EUR for an academic publication or habilitation (the highest German-speaking academic qualification after a doctorate). The prize is awarded by the Institute for Partnership-Based Company Constitution at Johannes Kepler University (JKU) Linz together with the Research Institute for Banking. It is offered every two years.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are studying or conducting research at JKU Linz or at a university of applied sciences in Upper Austria on a relevant degree programme.
• Type of work: You submit a finished bachelor's, diploma, master's, doctoral or PhD thesis, an academic publication or a habilitation.
• Topic: Your work focuses on models of collaboration in the workplace, such as employee participation, fair income distribution, CSR, ESG, sustainability and compliance.
• Field of study: Any topic is fine, as long as your work is relevant to the topic.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.

How to apply

Please submit a (bound) copy of your thesis, proof of the mark achieved, your CV and – in the case of a doctoral thesis – an additional report. The deadline for the current call for entries is 31 October 2026. The award ceremony is expected to take place in the spring of 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

This award has very strict criteria. Your thesis must deal with models of workplace partnership and must have been produced at JKU Linz or a university of applied sciences in Upper Austria, meaning that only a small number of people are eligible. If your final dissertation clearly fits the theme and has been awarded a good mark, your chances are good, as the prize is not awarded to a single winner but across several categories.