The EFSD/Novo Nordisk Foundation Future Leaders Award is awarded to candidates who are promising and have a track record of excellence and clear commitment to their chosen area of diabetes research.

The Programme comprises four Awards annually. Each Award comprises up to DKK 5 million over 5 years to support the recipients’ research activities, such as project costs and salaries. The total annual grant amount is up to DKK 20 million.

Successful candidates will have received their highest academic degree (PhD or MD) no more than 10 years before the Award period starts but do not yet hold a tenured academic faculty appointment when the Award period starts. For clinicians holding more than one qualifying degree (such as MD and PhD) or with a clinical specialist degree or board certification, the time elapsed since obtaining the first degree may not exceed 12 years before the Award period starts. Recipients must work in a university or hospital or another not-for-profit research institution in Europe throughout the Award period and must be members of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

All recipients will be expected to serve as ambassadors for the Programme throughout the Award period. This could include:

• one oral presentation by each recipient at the EFSD/Novo Nordisk Foundation Future Leaders Symposium, an integral part of the scientific programme of the EASD Annual Meeting, to be held the same day as the Prize lecture for the EASD–Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence;
• participating as role models in activities of the EASD Young Academy;
• participating in teaching the faculty of EASD postgraduate education courses;
• visiting schools or universities to promote diabetes research as a career opportunity; and
• public communication of science at local or international events.

The Programme is a collaboration between the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. A Review Committee appointed by the EFSD decides the recipients of the Award based on the applications, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation donates the money accompanying the Award.