GÉANT Community Award

GÉANT honours community members who have made outstanding contributions to collaborative work and the development of services and technologies, people who have shared their ideas, expertise and time with the community.

We recognise that such contributions are often provided voluntarily and through the good will of employer organisations.

Timeline

13 January 2025 - Nominations open
21 February 2025 - Nominations close
15 April 2025 - Community Award Committee selects awardee
11 June 2025 - GÉANT Community Award announcement and ceremony

Purpose of the GÉANT Community Award

GÉANT can be described in three dimensions: Network, Services and People. The GÉANT Community Award focuses on the people and how they work on a global scale to further the role and value of research and education networking.

The GÉANT Community Award recognises individuals who have made a real impact to the GÉANT Community. Nominations come from across the entire global research and education networking community.

Once a shortlist of nominees is identified the GÉANT Community Award Committee selects the final winner(s) who will be announced during TNC.

Background

The Community Award, presented for the first time in 2012, is sponsored by the GÉANT project. This sponsorship provides administrative support, allowing the award to be opened up to nominations from across the community and facilitates the selection of winners by a panel of judges.

The Community Award is a sign of recognition for the individual efforts that make up our community collaborations. It is presented every year at TNC, the GÉANT community's flagship conference.

Nomination criteria

Nomination criteria
Any individual who is eligible to nominate may submit a nomination for the GÉANT Community Award (go to 'Who can nominate' section further down on this page to find out more).

Selection process

Selection process
Nominations are categorised and checked for completeness. On occasion, additional background information might be required. The judging panel brings their experience to bear in choosing the recipient of the award with the intention of ensuring a rich and varied selection over the years.

Award Committee

The 2025 GÉANT Community Award Committee and judging panel comprises the following roles and individuals:

  • Chair of the GÉANT Board of Directors - Gilles Massen (Restena)
  • Chair of the GÉANT Community Committee - Charlie van Genuchten (SURF)
  • Co-Chair of the GÉANT Community Committee - Paul Rouse (GÉANT)
  • Chair of the TNC25 Programme Committee - Ieva Muraškienė (NORDUnet)
  • CEO / representative of TNC25 host organisation - Heidi Fraser-Krauss (Jisc)
  • CEO GÉANT - Lise Fuhr
The panel is supported by the GÉANT Association for outreach and coordination purposes.
Contact information: communityaward@lists.geant.org

Who can nominate

  • Representatives of NRENs and their connected institutions.
  • Staff employed or sub-contracted by GÉANT, by GÉANT Project partner organisations, or by GÉANT member organisations (associates and national or representative members).
  • Individuals who participate in one or more GÉANT task force, special interest group, or other GÉANT activities, whether by attending meetings or simply being in the mailing list.
  • Individuals who have been awarded the GÉANT Community Award.
  • Current and former members of the GÉANT Community Award Committee.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates eligible for the GÉANT Community Award are individuals who have made a positive impact for the GÉANT Community. Here we define the GÉANT Community as the GÉANT Association, it’s Members and their connected institutes.

Any impact should be at this GÉANT Community scale, i.e. beyond national.

Eligible recipients include NREN staff, staff of institutions served by NRENs, GÉANT staff, GÉANT project participants.

Self-nominations cannot be accepted.

While posthumous recognitions will be considered, it is envisaged that the community award principally honours active members of the community. 

Award categories

  • Initiators of significant new ideas or improvements which have had lasting impact on the organisation, project or community.
  • Unique and passionate dedication to the GÉANT project or wider community activities over a sustained period of time.
  • Outstanding contributions to the project or community which have immediately led to significant and recognisable new ideas, developments, or improvements over the last 12 months. 

The award

The award ceremony and celebration take place at TNC, GÉANT's flagship conference. 

Skip to content