The awards, presented annually by the UK-based Prospect Magazine, are considered among Europe’s most prestigious quality ratings of independent research institutions and academic think tanks across the globe.

The 2018 nomination list sees FNI competing against well-established and renowned institutes such as the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) in the European energy and anvironment category.

Geir Hønneland"I’m thrilled to see that the judges continue to value the quality, coherence and impact of FNI’s research in international politics, and look forward to the ceremony in London on the 17th July" says FNI Director Geir Hønneland in a comment. 

Nomination criteria include a “coherent selection of topics of importance, innovative and plausible policy prescription, rigor of analysis, influence on politics, influence on media and wider impact and convening power”.

FNI was first nominated in 2016, and then again in two categories in 2017: European international affairs think tanks and European energy and environment think tanks. FNI won the latter category, being commended by the jury for its high quality research within environmental politics in general, and for its work related to climate policies in the Arctic and the Anthropocene in particular. The jury also applauded that FNI conducts truly interdisciplinary research.