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Claude Érignac Prize

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The Claude Érignac Association was created following the assassination of Prefect Claude Érignac in February 1998, as a tribute to his memory and to the values which guided his actions. The Association, in partnership with Sciences Po, organises the Claude Érignac Prize, awarded each year to students who demonstrate an exemplary commitment to public life, through professional or community-based projects.

The Claude Érignac Prize, which carries an endowment of 5,000 euros, is awarded to a student whose project shows a dedication to republican and humanistic values such as a strong sense of the common good, concern for the plight of others, respect for diversity and a commitment to equal opportunities and success for all.

It supports the development of a project for the common good or in the public interest and which must necessarily involve the contribution of a French public institution or figure (local authorities, government agencies, public organisations, etc.) or of a non-profit organisation.

The project may be undertaken by a group of students but must be presented by one person, to whom the prize may be awarded.
 

Applications may be submitted in French or English.

Conditions of application

  • To be registered in a Master's programme or as a third-year undergraduate at Sciences Po (gap year included) in the academic year corresponding to the application.

Documents to be provided

  • A covering letter,
  • The title and an abstract of your project (800 characters maximum, spaces included),
  • A detailed description of the project, containing the following:
    • a provisional timetable from conception to implementation,
    • a detailed budget estimation,
    • the established link with one or more public bodies,
    • identification of the project’s main beneficiaries,
    • objectives and projected outcomes.
  • A CV

Submission of Applications

Deadline for submitting applications: 4 December 2023 at 12:30pm (Paris).

Please send your project by email, in pdf format, to Julie Barnes at the Department of Student Life (DVE).

Selection procedures

A pre-selection committee will meet in December 2023 to draw up a short list. It will pay particular attention to the following criteria:

  • Involvement in civic society, serving the values upheld by the Claude Érignac Association,
  • Nature and impact of the submitted project,
  • Feasibility,
  • Importance of the link with French public institutions.

The short-listed candidates will then be interviewed in mid-January 2024 by a jury composed of members of the Claude Érignac Association and management representatives from Sciences Po.

The prize-giving ceremony will be held in Paris in early February 2024. Candidates should ensure their availability during this period.

Previous Prizewinners