The Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes are designed to support the University of Sydney’s strategic commitment to developing excellent researchers across a variety of disciplines and relative to opportunity. The University has three categories of Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes:
- Thompson Prize (for high-performing women colleagues seeking promotion to levels D and E)
- Brown Prize (for colleagues with significant caring responsibilities)
- Laffan Prize (for colleagues with disabilities)
Awardees will be individuals with promising research trajectories that could be accelerated with additional support.
The prize includes a tailored research development program and up to $55,000 in research funding and/or teaching relief (where applicable) to provide focused time for research development.
Specific information on each category of Research Excellence and Inclusion Prize can be found in the guidelines, which can be found on the Researcher Development Hub. Colleagues are welcome to submit more than one application per round but must ensure that each individual application matches the scheme criteria. No more than one prize will be allocated per applicant, per round.
Each Research Excellence and Inclusion Prize category has slightly different submission criteria. Please consult the category-specific guidance and Frequently Asked Questions in the 2026 Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes Guidelines carefully before submitting an application.
For any questions, please email the Researcher Development Unit: researcher.development@sydney.edu.au
2026 Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes
The Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes are designed to support the University of Sydney’s strategic commitment to developing excellent researchers across a variety of disciplines and relative to opportunity. The University has three categories of Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes:
- Thompson Prize (for high-performing women colleagues seeking promotion to levels D and E)
- Brown Prize (for colleagues with significant caring responsibilities)
- Laffan Prize (for colleagues with disabilities)
Awardees will be individuals with promising research trajectories that could be accelerated with additional support.
The prize includes a tailored research development program and up to $55,000 in research funding and/or teaching relief (where applicable) to provide focused time for research development.
Specific information on each category of Research Excellence and Inclusion Prize can be found in the guidelines, which can be found on the Researcher Development Hub. Colleagues are welcome to submit more than one application per round but must ensure that each individual application matches the scheme criteria. No more than one prize will be allocated per applicant, per round.
Each Research Excellence and Inclusion Prize category has slightly different submission criteria. Please consult the category-specific guidance and Frequently Asked Questions in the 2026 Research Excellence and Inclusion Prizes Guidelines carefully before submitting an application.
For any questions, please email the Researcher Development Unit: researcher.development@sydney.edu.au