Congratulations to our co-director, Claes de Vreese, who is now the first UvA researcher to have been awarded the prestigious Stevin Prize by the Dutch Research Council (NWO)! The selection committee deemed his work around the impact of big tech, algorithms and AI on democracy highly socially relevant, extending to more than just innovative research: his expertise also results in advice for governments and media organizations, and he often appears in the media to explain the complex implications of current developments in clear terms. Everyone in the AI, Media & Democracy Lab is incredibly proud to work alongside Claes, and we are excited to continue building our interdisciplinary research agenda in the future.
Claes has shared his own perspective and thoughts on the current climate in Dutch academia, political relations with the United States, and the present state of tech as compared to expectations from previous decades throughout interviews as part of the extensive coverage this award has received, which you can read below.
The Stevin and Spinoza prizes will be formally awarded during a ceremony taking place on 7 October 2026, where each of the 4 winners will also share their plans for using the €1.5 million prize money.
Coverage on the 2026 Stevin Prize:
