Article 1. Introduction
The RACE is a family of excellence prizes designed to reward and motivate European postgraduate students (as specified in the Bologna decree) to carry out work on the cannabis plant. The vision of the foundation is that the cannabis plant serves society, improving the quality of life for all in an equitable way. The vision of a society that has succeeded in changing its perception of the plant from an uncontrolled enemy to a trusted ally, a friend.
This vision, which underpins the selection criteria of RACE, combines simultaneously and harmoniously 3 dimensions: social good, environmental good and temporal continuity.
In this perspective, the RACE candidates must provide in their application perspectives through which their work will enable society to respond to current and future challenges by proposing innovative alternatives for action and/or reflection on the cannabis plant, its place and function in our society.
ATTENTION : The RACEs do not in any way wish to glorify the plant in its use as a drug. On the contrary, the aim is to promote the plant in other areas, to exploit its qualities and not its defects.
Article 2. Purpose of the prize
The prize, worth 2,500 euros, is awarded annually to graduate students (as specified in the Bologna decree) who advance thinking and/or practice in relation to the cannabis plant in their field.
RACE Medicine
Award of excellence of € 2,500 for work that advances thinking and/or practice related to cannabis and medicine. This includes new care or prevention practices, new approaches to our health care system, research on the interaction between the plant and our body.
RACE Pharma
Award of excellence of €2,500 for work that advances thinking and/or practice related to cannabis and phamacelia. This may include, for example, research on improving the bioavailability of cannabinoids, the effects of a particular cannabinoid, the pharmacokinetics of a cannabinoid.
RACE Biology-agronomy
Award of excellence of €2,500 for work that advances thinking and/or practice related to the biology and agriculture of the cannabis plant. This includes research on the plant, the different varieties, the stages of production, the factors influencing the production of a particular cannabinoid.
RACE Other
Excellence Award of €2,500 for work that advances thinking and/or practice related to something other than biology, medicine and pharmacy. This includes engineering, law, IT, social and political sciences, economics in the broadest sense. This includes research on processing, transport, preservation, marketing and distribution, and policies that regulate or facilitate these aspects.
Article 3. Eligibility criteria
Pour être éligible à l’édition 2024 des RACE, le ou la candidat.e devra :
1) Être étudiant dans une université ou haute école de niveau universitaire européenne (UE-28), tel que spécifié dans le décrêt de Bologne.
2) S’inscrire en envoyant le formulaire de candidature complètés à CBX Foundation avant le 15 Septembre 2022, à 23h59 en format électronique (info@cannabis-race.eu)
3) Faire parvenir avant le 15 Octobre 2024 (à 23h59) à CBX un travail qui :
- meets the purpose of the prizes set out in Article 2 and the scope of the prize for which it is applying.
- was defended between 15.09.2022 and 20.09.2024, at a European university or college;
- was carried out within the specific framework of a course or curriculum at these institutions;
- is characterised by a scientific or detailed approach, integrating the 3 dimensions of the CBX Foundation vision: social good, environmental good and temporal continuity.
The Foundation reserves the right to reject works that clearly do not meet these criteria.
Article 4. Application form
It is important to complete this application form carefully. The selection process will take place in two rounds. In the first round, the selection of finalists will be based primarily on this application form.
The foundation reserves the right to reject works that clearly do not meet these criteria.
- an identification sheet for the author and his/her work;
- a summary of the project, setting out concisely the work and its problematic and explaining how the subject of study and the approach followed are innovative.
- an explanation of the contribution of the thesis to the vision of CBX Foundation. How the treatment of the subject matter integrates the three dimensions.
- an optional space for the candidate to make suggestions for the specific enhancement of his/her work;
- a curriculum vitae and a passport photo;
- 1 to 3 representative images (plans, sections, photographs) illustrating the subject.
The application form must be written in English. However, the work may have been written in French, Dutch or English. There is no age limit or nationality requirement for participation in the RACE.
Article 5. Submission of the application
La date limite de soumission des dossiers de candidature est le 15 Septembre 2024 à 23h59 (GMT+1).
Le formulaire de candidature, le curriculum vitae et les éventuelles annexes sont à renvoyer au secrétariat du prix (voir Article 15. Coordonnées de contact) dûment complétés, uniquement sous forme électronique, par email (éventuellement via le service gratuit de transfert de fichiers lourdshttps://www.wetransfer.com ou un service équivalent). La fondation enverra au ou à la candidat·e un accusé de réception par courrier électronique dans les 5 jours ouvrables qui suivent la réception du dossier de candidature.
La participation au prix est définitive après confirmation de la réception du dossier par CBX foundation. En cas de doute quant à la bonne réception, le ou la candidat·e peut contacter la fondation. Si nécessaire, la fondation contactera le ou la candidat.e pour lui demander d’apporter des éclaircissements sur certains aspects du dossier.
Article 6. Jury and selection process
La date limite de soumission des dossiers de candidature est le 15 Septembre 2024 à 23h59 (GMT+1).
CBX Foundation s’assurera de la recevabilité des candidatures envoyées sur la base des critères d'éligibilité détaillés à l’article 3. En cas de doute, le ou la président. e du jury sera consulté. e et son avis fera loi. Un jury indépendant, distinct de la fondation et multidisciplinaire, est chargé de la sélection de 5 nominés (maximum) par prix. Ce Jury indépendant sera composé de maximum 8 personnalités belges ou étrangères issues du monde scientifique, des médias, du monde économique et du secteur associatif en prise avec l’objet de CBX foundation. La composition du jury sera rendue publique en septembre sur www.cbxmedical.com/foundation-race (cannabis-race.eu).
La sélection se déroule en deux tours.
Premier tour : les formulaires de candidature sont analysés individuellement par les membres du jury entre le 1er et le 31 Octobre 2024. Ceux-ci se basent uniquement sur les formulaires de candidature pour sélectionner 5 candidat. e.s, par catégorie de prix, qui participeront au deuxième tour, c’est-à-dire les finalistes de l’édition. Ces finalistes enverront leur mémoire aux membres du jury, ainsi qu’un exposé (power-point) de leur travail qui sera présenté à la cérémonie finale.
Deuxième tour : Le (ou la) lauréat.e de chaque catégorie sera le ou la nominé.e. qui aura obtenu les meilleurs points parmi les finalistes. Les points sont données sur 100 dans les proportions suivantes :
- 20% des points seront directement attribuées par le public, via un système de vote en ligne ouvert entre le 1 Octobre et le 31 Octobre 2024. Le nominé ayant récolté le plus de vote obtiendra la note maximal (40/40). Les autres nominés auront une quote au prorata du nombre de votes qu’ils auront obtenus.
- 40% des points seront attribués par le même jury indépendant ayant sélectionné les nominées. Les cotes seront rendu publique le 10 Novembre 2024.
- 40% des points seront attribués lors de la cérémonie, par le même jury indépendant et uniquement basé sur la prestation de la présentation des résultats de leur travaux.
In cases where there are less than 6 candidates for the prize, only the second round of the jury will be maintained.
The jury is sovereign in its decisions, in the interpretation and application of the rules. Its decisions are taken by consensus; if consensus is not reached, decisions will be taken by simple majority vote, with each member of the jury having one vote. In the event of a tie, the President shall have the casting vote. Voting at the ceremony will be by secret ballot. Any member of the jury who has been a research supervisor of a pre-selected candidate or who has a link with the research presented must refrain from participating in the debate and vote concerning this candidate.
Article 7. Selection criteria
The work of applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will be submitted to the jury. The jury aims to distinguish the candidate files that best meet the following criteria:
7.1. Response to a societal issue
The work must have investigated and contributed to providing answers to one or more of the fundamental issues facing our societies.
7.2. Approach on the 3 dimensions
Very concretely, the works will maximize their chance to win the points of the jury if the work they bring radiates direct and indirect positive externalities, for the man, for the planet and for the future.
Important! It is not expected that the work presented meets all the concerns presented below. They are to be considered as potentially relevant points of attention in a dissertation that wants to provide a response to the challenges of the world in which we live
Social: The impact on the well-being of human beings, at the local and global levels, in the short and long term.
Examples of key issues (not exhaustive): social and ethical responsibility, accessibility to the greatest number, social equity and solidarity, integration, living environment, education and training, improvement of social links and conviviality...
Environmental: The impact on the environment in the broadest sense, at local and global levels, in the short and long term.
Examples of key questions: eco-efficiency / limited or positive impact on the environment and the living environment, climate & greenhouse gases, rational use of energy, respect for nature, its biodiversity and resources, prevention and management of waste and pollution, rational use of space...
Temporal: The impact must be sustainable, i.e. everything it must allow to increase/maintain in a sustainable way the resources of the people/organizations and the community.
Examples of key issues: global cost approach and economic viability in the long term, flexibility with regard to future developments, performance at the collective level and not only at the individual level, autonomy, solidity.
Article 8. Proclamation of the prize
The award will be presented at a public announcement in the presence of the jury members, RACE partners, academics, the press, and outside guests at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year (the official date will be confirmed during 2024). A media campaign will follow the public announcement.
Presentations may be organized digitally. However, for the sake of fairness, CBX Foundation will pay for the foreign students (not from Belgian universities/schools) when they come to Belgium for the presentation. This does not include transportation to Belgium.
Article 9. Awarding of the winner and possible nominees
The author of the winning or nominated work receives the title of "RACE 2024 Laureate/Nominee". For each RACE, one of the nominees is declared the winner by the jury, while the other 4 (maximum) candidates retain their status as nominees.
All of them are awarded a prize and thus "win". The status of the nominee is the "second place" on the podium. The financial prize consists of an amount of 2.500 € which is only given to the winner (not to the nominees), revealed during the ceremony.
This amount is paid, at the laureate's choice, either to his or her personal account, or to the account of a research institution with which he or she collaborates if he or she deems it useful for the valorization of his or her thesis. In addition, CBX Foundation will promote the various texts related to the winning thesis to the media and its contact networks. The foundation will also do the same for the documents, mentioned in article 4 above, related to the nominated thesis. All the documents produced within the framework of the present awards may be referenced on the Foundation's website (unless a confidentiality clause is accepted).
Article 10: Commitments of the winner and any nominees
The winner and nominees undertake to :
- Participate in the media campaign and promotion of the winning briefs that will be organised by CBX Foundation: presentation on the website www.cbxmedical.com/foundation, publication, press release, interviews, power point presentation, etc.
- Participate in the award ceremony to receive their award and present their work;
- Participate in the "Meet the Nominees" day, to discuss possible synergies with other researchers;
- Participate in possible presentations of the award to future candidates;
Article 11: Information for candidates
No information concerning the outcome of an application can be given before the end of the selection procedure. The results of the selection process will be published when the winner and nominees are announced on the Foundation's website. Candidates whose applications have not been accepted (deemed ineligible) as well as candidates whose applications have been selected but not awarded (neither laureate nor nominee) will be informed by digital means.
Article 12. Ownership and use of documents
Participants retain all intellectual property rights on all documents submitted to the Foundation as part of their application, including copyright. However, the Foundation is authorised by the applicants to reproduce, distribute and communicate all or part of these documents in a non-commercial manner, clearly attributing authorship to the author, without prior agreement from the latter and without payment of royalties.
Article 13. Calendar
Participate in the "Meet the Nominees" day, to discuss possible synergies with other researchers.
- September 2022: opening of the call for applications;
- 15 Septembre 2024 : clôture de l’appel à candidature ;
- 30 septembre 2024 : Communication des lauréats
- 15 Octobre 2024 : Clôture du délais pour la remise des mémoire
- Novembre 2024 : Cérémonie de présentation et de proclamation des prix, suivie d’une campagne de valorisation des travaux primés.
Article 14. Scope of the Regulation
Submission of an application implies acceptance of these rules, which may not be contested. Any case that is not covered by these rules or that gives rise to a dispute concerning the interpretation, evaluation or admissibility of the work and/or the candidates will be irrevocably decided by the CBX Foundation administrators.
Article 15. Contact details
CBX Foundation ASBL
58 rue de la bâchée, 1380 Plancenoit
Email : info@cannabis-race.eu
