The prize honors Fausta Deshormes La Valle, an Italian journalist whose extensive career at the European Commission began in 1961.
Working primarily within the Press and Information Service, she focused her efforts on recognizing and addressing the critical need to involve key societal groups in the European project. She dedicated nearly two decades to raising awareness and actively engaging women and young people in the process of European integration.
Notably, Fausta Deshormes La Valle was a dedicated combatant for gender equality, serving as the founder and honorary director of the Commission’s Women’s Information Unit. She is remembered as a foundational figure who tirelessly paved the way for policies and initiatives designed to mobilise previously underrepresented groups and ensure their concerns were acted upon.
Overview and Objectives
Each year, the EUMERGENCIES Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence presents two Fausta Deshormes La Valle Prizes for outstanding student research papers.
The award recognizes high-quality academic work related to the EUMERGENCIES project’s core themes—analyzing the EU’s capacity to address emergencies—while fostering students’ professional skills.
Eligibility
The prize is open to students currently enrolled in a Master’s programme at the Institute for European Studies of UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles. Papers must address themes related to the EUMERGENCIES project.
The nomination must include:
- a brief support letter outlining the paper’s merits,
- the research paper in electronic format.
Framework and Recognition
The prize is integrated into a collaborative academic framework where research topics are selected and supervised by EUMERGENCIES team members. A rigorous evaluation process, ensuring fairness, identifies the best submissions.
- Presentation Opportunity: Selected students are invited to present their work during a public ceremony hosted by the Institute for European Studies. This event provides a vital platform for academic exchange and a chance to develop public speaking and communication skills.
- Award: Each winner receives €500, and the awarded papers are published online on the EUMERGENCIES project website. The prize supports the acquisition of transferable skills highly valued across sectors.