The prize honours the Professor of International Relations and the Environment for her work on environmental diplomacy and marine biodiversity governance.
Berlin/Paris, 3 June 2025. Alice Vadrot, Professor of International Relations and the Environment at the University of Vienna, has been awarded the 2025 Franco-German Henrik Enderlein Prize. Now in its fourth year, the €10,000 research prize honours outstanding social scientists under the age of 40 whose work contributes to the future of Europe.
Vadrot was selected for her pioneering research on multilateral environmental diplomacy and marine biodiversity governance. Her work stands out not only for its academic excellence, but also for its deep commitment to bridging science and policy in the face of the ecological crisis.
The Henrik Enderlein Prize was presented on 2 June 2025 in a joint ceremony hosted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in Paris, in cooperation with the Hertie School, Sciences Po, and the German Federal Foreign Office. The award commemorates the Hertie School’s late President, Henrik Enderlein, a passionate advocate of European integration.
Shaping the politics of nature
“Europe has an important role to play in multilateral diplomacy and in building a sustainable future for generations to come. Alice Vadrot's pioneering work on environmental policy and marine biodiversity offers valuable insights into multilateral environmental negotiations that can shape future nature policy,” said Cornelia Woll, President of the Hertie School and Chair of the Henrik Enderlein Prize Jury.
Benjamin Haddad, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs
“In these troubled times, Europe must provide enlightened leadership based on knowledge, solidarity and responsibility. The Henrik Enderlein Prize is yet another expression of the values that unite France and Germany and renew and deepen the European public debate. Through it, the Hertie School and Sciences Po contribute to renewing and deepening the European public debate and make emerge new ideas, critical views and committed voices such as that of Alice Vadrot.”
Gunther Krichbaum, Minister of State for European Affairs
“Henrik Enderlein was a fervent advocate of Franco-German cooperation in the service of a strong and united European Union. A new Franco-German start for Europe is also the objective our leaders set for themselves last month. Research plays a key role in this shared recovery agenda. I am delighted that this year's Enderlein Prize recognises the work of Alice Vadrot, who is making an important contribution to the public debate on the future of Europe.”
Luis Vassy, Director of Sciences Po
“I am particularly pleased that the Henrik Enderlein Prize has been awarded to a researcher recognised for the excellence of her work on ocean policy – a fundamental issue that will be at the heart of the United Nations Conference on the Oceans, to be held in Nice in June 2025. By helping us to better understand the modalities and impact of multilateral diplomacy on the protection of marine spaces and their biodiversity, Alice Vadrot invites us to act while helping us to develop the right legal and intellectual tools to face the existential challenge of the ecological transition.”
Scholarship with civic impact
Alice Vadrot is Professor of International Relations and the Environment at the University of Vienna in Austria. The Franco-Austrian political scientist specialises in global environmental policy, multilateral environmental negotiations, and the interface between science and politics. By means of innovative social science methodologies combining qualitative and quantitative methods, Vadrot aims to study and shape the future of global environmental agreement-making and multilateral diplomacy, both within and beyond the academic sphere.
About the Henrik Enderlein Prize
The Henrik Enderlein Prize is worth €10,000 and is awarded to young social science researchers under the age of 40. The prize-winners' work demonstrates scientific excellence and makes a concrete contribution to public debates on the future of Europe. The Henrik Enderlein Prize is named in honour of the former President of the Hertie School, who was a strong advocate for Europe.
The members of the jury are Chair of the Jury Professor Cornelia Woll, President of the Hertie School; Dorit Geva, Professor of Politics and Gender at the University of Vienna; Professor Thurid Hustedt, Dean of Graduate Programmes at the Hertie School; Thierry Mayer, Professor of Economics at Sciences Po; Christine Musselin, Scientific Director at Sciences Po; Caroline Soder, Deputy Secretary General for Franco-German Cooperation at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Johanna Stilo, Deputy Secretary General for Franco-German Cooperation at the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Jakob Vogel, Professor of History at Sciences Po, and Anja Wehler-Schöck, Member of the Editorial Board.
About the Hertie School
The Hertie School in Berlin prepares exceptional students for leadership positions in government, business and civil society. The school offers master’s programmes, executive education and doctoral programmes, distinguished by interdisciplinary and practice-oriented teaching, as well as outstanding research. Its extensive international network positions it as an ambassador of good governance, characterised by public debate and engagement. The school was founded in 2004 by the Hertie Foundation, which remains its major funder. The Hertie School is accredited by the state and the German Science Council.
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