FWO/IBM Belgium - Scientific prize IBM Belgium for Informatics

What you get

You will receive a one-off prize of 5,000 EUR for an outstanding doctoral thesis in the field of computer science. The prize recognises original work in one of five specialist areas: artificial intelligence, analytics and big data, cyber security, (hybrid) cloud computing or quantum computing. Two Belgian research funding bodies award the prize each year: the FWO for universities in the Flemish Community and the F.R.S.-FNRS for universities in the French-speaking Community, under the patronage of IBM Belgium. Consequently, one prize is awarded per language community each year. The prize money is awarded to a single individual and cannot be shared.

Who can apply

• Degree: You publicly defended your doctoral thesis in the calendar year preceding the year of award. For the 2023 round, this meant that the defence took place in the year 2022.
• Where you studied: You have successfully defended your doctoral thesis at a Belgian university, either in the Flemish Community (FWO) or in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (F.R.S.-FNRS). Graduates of the Royal Military Academy are also eligible to apply.
• Current position: At the time of the application deadline, you must be employed as a postdoctoral researcher or professor at a recognised university or at the Royal Military Academy.
• Field: Your dissertation makes an original contribution to computer science in one of the five specialist areas listed.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.

How to apply

You are applying. For the French-speaking Community Prize, please submit your application documents in English to the F.R.S.-FNRS by 13 March. For the Flemish Community Prize, please submit them to the FWO by 15 May. A panel of experts will assess all entries and select the winner. If no suitable candidate is found, the panel may decide not to award the prize.

You can find more scholarships in our guide Scholarships in Belgium.