MENEGHETTI AWARD 2026

Announcement

The Antonio Meneghetti Scientific and Humanistic Research Foundation – Switzerland promotes and disseminates the vision of life according to the principles of Humanism, expressed as a practical culture of philosophy, science, art and economics based on the primacy of research, through training, education, self-improvement and the highest exertion of man’s individual faculties in service of the issues that mankind faces in various circumstances.

The Antonio Meneghetti Foundation is a Swiss non-profit public benefit organisation and has been accorded special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC since 2019.

Motivated by the theme of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2026:

“Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”,

with particular focus on:

  • SDG 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
  • SDG 17 – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

The Antonio Meneghetti Scientific and Humanistic Research Foundation hereby issues this call for applications for 10 study grants for each of the two proposed topics, intended for Master’s theses and research papers.

Topic 1: Sistem and personality. Social Relations and Individual Identity in Current and Future Scenarios

10 study grants of CHF 550.00 for works addressing: social relations and individual identity in contemporary and future contexts; innovative solutions for fostering inclusive relationships in urban and rural environments; the impact of digital technologies and new social interaction models on the developmental trajectories of children, adolescents, and adults; analyses of social media use, online gaming, and wellness apps and their effects on anxiety, depression, and social relationships.

Topic 2: Brics+ Countries: A New Cultural and Economic Perspective.

10 study grants of CHF 550.00 for works addressing: the dynamics of an evolving multipolar world and the role of BRICS+ as a constellation of diverse regional powers; the historical, cultural, and institutional perspectives characterizing each BRICS+ country; the contribution of emerging economies and intercultural dialogue to a more human-centered, ethical, pluralistic and sustainable international order; global fragmentation into competing geopolitical blocs and the role of BRICS+ in shaping future global governance.

Art.1

The award is established in accordance with the Foundation’s Statute and its institutional purpose of supporting research activities, excluding any profit-making intent. The award is intended to provide financial support for Master’s theses and research papers addressing the two thematic areas described above, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations.

Art. 2 – Requirements

The following applicants are eligible to apply for the Meneghetti Award 2026:

  • Graduates who have defended a Master’s thesis on one of the proposed themes and who obtained their degree no more than three years prior to the application deadline.

  • Researchers who, within the last three years, have produced a research work relevant to one of the proposed themes.

Applicants who have already received a study award granted by the Foundation are not eligible to apply.

Art. 3 – Application

Interested parties must submit their application, by and no later than 23:59 CET (Central European Time) on 30 April 2026, under penalty of exclusion, solely through online submission by filling in the appropriate form available at the web address indicated in the section of the Foundation’s website dedicated to the study awards in question. Applicants are kindly advised not to wait until the final days prior to the deadline to submit their application.

The candidate shall declare under his/her own responsibility

  1. name, surname and residence
  2. date and place of birth;
  3. declaration of being in possession of the prerequisites required by the call for applications in art. 2;
  4. declaration of not having previously benefited from study awards issued by the Foundation

All submitted documents, including the thesis or research paper, must be written in either Italian or English.

Applicants are responsible for providing official certification attesting to the date on which the degree was obtained and the corresponding final grade.

The Foundation will ensure that the candidates’ theses and research works are made available to the designated Evaluation Committee.

Art.4 – Committee and constitution of the ranking list

The assessment will be made by a Committee appointed by the Foundation and composed by members of the Foundation and university teachers.

The Committee’s decisions are final and indisputable.

Each member of the committee has 100 points for the evaluation of the theses, which will be assigned on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Up to 50 points: originality and innovation of the work submitted;

  • Up to 50 points: impact of the results on the relationship between the individual and society.

The overall score, accompanied by a brief assessment, will be determined by summing the points obtained for each criterion. In the event of an ex aequo, the award will be divided equally among the candidates.

The results will be communicated within 90 days of the application deadline.

Art.5 – Assigning the award

Study awards will be assigned through deliberation of the Foundation Board.

Art. 6 – Non-assigned awards

If no suitable candidates emerge for the award, the relative amount will remain at the disposal of the Foundation.

Art.7 – Announcement of the call and information

This call will be published on the Foundation’s official website. The Foundation shall also be entitled to publish the call for applications on other media, research portals, university websites, information websites in order to allow for its wider dissemination.

Art. 8 Information and contacts

For any information or communication please contact: Fondazione di Ricerca Scientifica ed Umanistica Antonio Meneghetti Via San Gottardo 10 – 6900 Lugano, Switzerland CH

e-mail awards@fondazionemeneghetti.ch.

Art. 9 Acceptance of rules and rights

Participation in the competition implies full acceptance of all the rules of these regulations, so that failure to comply with even one of them will result in automatic exclusion from the competition (i.e. without the obligation to notify the interested parties). Furthermore, by accepting these regulations each author consents to the use of the research projects for all activities related to the running of the competition. With regard to the protection of personal data, participants are informed that the processing of personal data supplied by them when taking part in the competition or in any case acquired for this purpose by the Foundation is solely for the purpose of carrying out the activities envisaged in the competition and will be carried out by the persons proposed for the procedure, using procedures, including computerised ones, in the manner and within the limits necessary to pursue the aforementioned purposes. The data collected will not be published or transferred to third parties for any reason whatsoever.

 

Lugano, 7 December 2025

The Foundation Board

Antonio Meneghetti Scientific and Humanistic Research Foundation