To mark its 20th anniversary, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has launched two new national prizes recognising outstanding individuals who demonstrate leadership, innovation, impact and inclusion across both health and care research and research delivery.
The new awards will celebrate excellence across the full research pathway, from discovery and development through to real‑world delivery and impact, highlighting the people who make high‑quality, inclusive research possible across the UK and beyond.
The NIHR’s 20th anniversary prizes include two categories:
- 20 Rising Research Leaders
- 20 Research Delivery Leaders
This prize recognises early to mid‑career researchers who go beyond their day‑to‑day roles to lead impactful research and champion inclusion in the UK and globally. Awardees will demonstrate clear leadership potential and a commitment to improving health and care outcomes through collaboration and innovation.
The awards are open to NIHR Academy members, from predoctoral to postdoctoral level, with applications assessed in line with career stage.
This category celebrates individuals who show exceptional leadership in delivering NIHR portfolio research, while promoting inclusive participation across health and care settings in the UK.
The awards are open to individuals who have led or supported NIHR portfolio studies within the last 12 months, with applicants assessed according to their roles and responsibilities.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate how their leadership has:
- Improved inclusion and participation
- Strengthened research culture
- Enhanced delivery across organisations and settings
- Supported tangible research impact
Professor Lucy Chappel, the NIHR’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“For twenty years the NIHR has driven life-changing research made possible by our skilled and dedicated workforce of research leaders.
“We are proud of the training and development opportunities we offer to build career pathways and grow careers through the NIHR Academy and wider NIHR training offer.
“The NIHR20 Research Leaders Prizes further bolsters our commitment and support to all of our research workforce at each stage of their careers in our milestone year. By investing in a new generation of leaders, we will be able to support research that delivers on impact, inclusion, innovation and investment, to address current and future health and care challenges.”
Together, the two prizes reflect the NIHR’s commitment to recognising excellence across every stage of research – from pioneering discovery to effective delivery that benefits patients, communities and the wider health and care system.
By highlighting leadership in both research and research delivery, the NIHR aims to showcase the diverse careers, roles and expertise that underpin high‑quality, inclusive research across the UK.
Applications will be reviewed by expert assessment panels, with final selections ensuring diversity across professions, geographies and research settings. The NIHR says this approach reflects its ambition to champion inclusive leadership and recognise talent wherever it exists within the research system.
The anniversary prizes form part of wider celebrations marking 20 years of the NIHR, acknowledging the people who have helped shape a research culture focused on excellence, collaboration and patient benefit.
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