The Award recognises an institution that has designed and delivered an exceptional approach to embed entrepreneurship throughout the university. The institution has developed its own unique understanding of what it means to the institution to be entrepreneurial, aligned with the environment the institution operatives in. Entrepreneurship is at the heart of the institution not only nurtured among staff and students, but the institution itself also acts entrepreneurially and positively impacts a wide range of stakeholders.

The Award recognises an institution that has designed and implemented its own engagement approach to create greater value for the community. Deeply engaged with a variety of stakeholders, the institution can demonstrate a university-wide approach of community engagement and exceptional social impacts created through the approach taken.

The Award recognises a university that is highly committed to the protection of the environment. The commitment is evident in the institution’s resource planning and usage. Being a central element of the institution’s values, environmental protection is part of the institution’s culture and promoted among staff and students.

The Award recognises an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding leadership performance in the development of an institution’s or (academic or support) unit‘s entrepreneurial profile. Entries are encouraged at all leadership levels, including but not limited to university, faculty, school, department, research unit, and support unit level.

The Award recognises an outstanding individual who has dedicated his or her life towards the promotion of entrepreneurship in higher education.

The Award recognises an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding performance in the design and delivery of an entrepreneurship course. Passionate about entrepreneurship, the awardee inspires students to pursue an entrepreneurial career and shape the future through the creation of innovative solutions. Entries from faculty of all levels (e.g. professor, lecturer) are welcomed.

The Award recognises an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding leadership performance in the development of an institution’s or (academic or support) unit‘s engagement profile, with a focus on social and cultural impacts. Entries are encouraged at all leadership levels, including but not limited to university, faculty, school, department, research unit, and support unit level.

The Award recognises a space that has made a significant contribution to a higher education institution in terms of innovation and collaboration. Spaces may include but are not limited to design thinking labs, maker spaces, co-creation spaces, incubators, accelerators, science and technology parks, and innovative designs of work spaces. We are looking forward to be surprised and amazed by the spaces you submit.

The Award recognises an Innovation Challenge that has shown an outstanding performance in motivating and empowering students or other university stakeholders (such as companies) to challenge the status quo and deliver innovative solutions to a particular problem.

The Award recognises support that has shown an outstanding performance in facilitating innovation and entrepreneurship activity and outcomes. Entries might be submitted on different levels, such as a unit (e.g. an entrepreneurship centre), an initiative (e.g. an innovation acceleration week) or a particular support offer (e.g. an innovative way to identify academic research that has the potential to be commercialised). The entries shall not be focused on individuals, but on the actual support offering that has been designed and delivered.

The Award recognises an initiative that significantly differs from standard practice and created exceptional results for the wider community, with a focus on societal impacts. The initiative stands out from the crowd as it either addresses a difficult problem that was not satisfactorily resolved before, or it has been scaled and makes a far-reaching impact.

The Award recognises a higher education institution or an academic unit that has developed a promising “coordinated, participatory and iterative process of thoughts and actions to achieve economic, environmental and social objectives in a balanced and integrative manner” (UNDESA, 2002). Evidence of the strategy’s effectiveness / success may be provided but is not a formal requirement.

The Award recognises an outstanding sustainability project that has been led by a faculty member and implemented by students. The project highlights how the power of science and student dedication can lead to positive impacts, optimally addressing two or even all three dimensions of the sustainability triangle (social, economic, environmental). Entries need to be submitted by the faculty member that led the project.