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Highest award in Dutch scientific community granted to Prof. Corien Prins

Published: 07th June 2023 Last updated: 12th June 2023

Professor of Law and Informatization Corien Prins of Tilburg University, the Dutch Research Council (NWO) today announced, is to receive the Stevin Prize, the highest science award in the Netherlands, for her contributions to both the development of law and information technology and to policymaking in this area. Prins is one of four scientists who have been awarded this year’s Spinoza and Stevin Prizes, each receiving EUR 1.5 million for academic research and activities related to knowledge utilization.

The researchers are being awarded prizes for their outstanding, groundbreaking, and inspiring work. The principal criteria for both prizes are the quality and impact of the researchers’ work: the Spinoza Prize is essentially awarded for scientific work that addresses fundamental issues, and the Stevin Prize is primarily awarded in recognition of the social impact of research. Joyeeta Gupta (University of Amsterdam) and Toby Kiers (VU Amsterdam) are this year’s recipients of the Spinoza Prizes. The Stevin Prizes are awarded to Bram Nauta (University of Twente) and Corien Prins.

Professor Corien Prins

Corien Prins (1961),  Professor of Law and Informatization and Chair of the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR), researches the rights of citizens in a time of increasing digitalization.

Corien Prins door Ton Toemen 2023

Prins is highly regarded for the development of the initially embryonic field of law and information technology, both nationally and internationally. This has produced knowledge and insights that find their way to policymakers. And that is her second great achievement, the Stevin Committee observes: helping both the legal community and policymakers bridge the gap between science and policy. “Corien Prins is a great advocate of knowledge in policy, but she also knows better than anyone how difficult this is to put into practice. Her mission is to help scientists better understand how policymaking works. (...) As a shining example, she herself bombards policy makers with knowledge from her field, namely the rights of citizens in a time of increasing digitalization.”

Read more about Corien Prins (NWO)

Professor Corien Prins: “I am elated with this Stevin Prize, a slice of which is for my discipline, TILT, the School, and our university. To me, it signifies recognition not only of the quality delivered at Tilburg but also of the inspiring environment that has for so many years given me room for creativity and collaboration.”

She is a true scientist with a keen eye for the social significance of fundamental questions and a big heart for her team and our academic community

Rector Magnificus Wim van de Donk of Tilburg University welcomes the Stevin Prize for Corien Prins as recognition of the important and essential work she has been doing at our university for decades. Van de Donk: “She has shaped and inspired TILT, an internationally and nationally highly regarded research group in the field of law and technology. The Executive Board extends its warmest congratulations to Professor Corien Prins on this richly deserved recognition of her tremendous work and its great significance. She is a true scientist with a keen eye for the social significance of fundamental questions and a big heart for her team and our academic community.” Van de Donk also believes the award represents a special appreciation of Tilburg Law School, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and with Corien Prins as “undoubtedly one of its leading professors.”

Geert Vervaeke, dean of Tilburg Law School: "I am extremely pleased with the tremendous recognition that my colleague and pro-dean of our Law School Professor Corien Prins is honored to receive. The Simon Stevin Prize is the highest award in science for a researcher who is particularly successful in making scientific knowledge accessible to our society. This means not only delivering top quality research but also making a sustained effort to improve society as much as possible through that knowledge and then succeeding in doing so. Such recognition follows a steady and long-standing commitment by Corien."

I hope that Corien may be an example to many in the academy and beyond

"I know Corien as a colleague who devotes herself wholeheartedly to research from precisely that mission to make people's lives and our coexistence better and more just. She will certainly find this award and the great recognition that comes with it a total surprise herself, but I am pleased that the Stevin Prize jury has seen and appreciated her work and commitment and achievement. I hope that Corien may be an example to many in the academy and beyond, because we can make good use of all the knowledge from (law) science to further shape our coexistence in a context in which the world can no longer really be called a peaceful possession."

See also the announcement of NWO

Award ceremony

The festive presentation of the Spinoza and Stevin Prizes will take place on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, with the laureates sharing details of their research and their plans for the award money.

Note to editors

For more information please contact the Tilburg University press office at persvoorlichters@tilburguniversity.edu / tel. +31 13 466 4000 or contact the Dutch Research Council (NWO).