Max Planck-Cambridge-Prize for International Law

Unlike medicine, sciences and many other related humanities and social sciences disciplines, there are barely any research prizes for outstanding scientists in the field of law. This also applies to international law.

The prize

The new Max Planck-Cambridge-Prize for International Law is intended to honour an outstanding person with a deep commitment to science for their work and as a role model for legal trainees. The prize is a European science prize that highlights the relevance of basic research in international law. The prize will also serve to highlight the significant role and function that the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law has been carrying out in this research discipline for around a hundred years.

Awarding institutions

The prize will be awarded jointly by the Max Planck Institute in Heidelberg and the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at the University of Cambridge in Great Britain.

Awarding procedure

The prize, worth 20,000 Euro, will be awarded every two years. Both awarding institutions have an equal number of representatives on the selection committee. The awards ceremony will take place on an alternating basis in Heidelberg and Cambridge, along with a presentation speech by a representative of the respective other institution and a keynote lecture by the prize winner.

Future perspective

The Donations by the Supporting Members allow for initial financing for a period of twelve years/six awards ceremonies, including event costs. The aim is to continue awarding this prize on a permanent basis in the future after this period.