Planetary Realities: Rethinking Governance Beyond Borders

Our world is being redefined by borderless challenges such as the climate crisis, digital information regimes, pandemics, and the sharing of space resources. The answers to these challenges are still largely nation-state-centric, fragmented, and inadequate.

This year, the Sakıp Sabancı Research Awards invite researchers to consider the following questions:

• How can new forms of governance be shaped in response to planetary challenges?
• How can information flows be democratized in the digital world?
• How can new ethical frameworks (justice, rights, equality) be established between the local and the global?
• Are public interest governance models possible against profit-driven global platforms?
• How should collective responsibility be defined in the face of planetary challenges such as the climate crisis, space pollution, and pandemics?

The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2026. Please visit the website for further information

The Prizes

The Sakıp Sabancı International Research Award entails a Jury Prize for 25,000 USD. The Jury Prize will be awarded to an individual who has made distinguished contributions in this theme. A series of awards will also be given to researchers under 45 years of age. This category includes 10.000 USD for each of three award-winning essays selected by the same jury panel from among submissions made for the competition