Women of the Year is a celebration of female achievements in and outside academia, and it provides a supportive and professional network by women and for women in academia, industry and culture.

On 6 May 2022, close to 100 extraordinary women will come together in the newly renovated Carlsberg Academy to celebrate achievements, to get inspired, to exchange ideas and views and to create a strong and supportive nation-wide network for women at all career stages – in academia and in public and private organisations. Everyone present will be regarded as a Woman of the Year, and they represent all the women making a huge difference in society every day.

It will be the first Women of the Year lunch and prize event to take place. In the years to follow, it will be the annual culmination of the network, and each year prizes will be awarded to 2–3 women who have achieved something extraordinary. The three awards are:

• Zenith: This prize is awarded to a younger senior researcher at the level of associate professor or full professor who has done something extraordinary over the recent years within research and the academic sphere. Examples include key publications of research findings, mentorship, leadership of larger research projects, obtaining larger grants, leadership within the academic community, etc.
• On the rise: This prize is awarded to a junior researcher who has done something extraordinary research-wise over the recent years. Examples include publication of cutting-edge research, taking a stance for women in research, mentoring other female researchers, etc.
• Satellite: This prize is awarded to a person who has done something extraordinary over the recent years in terms of applying or being inspired by research and its implications for society. Examples include raising awareness of the importance of research through art, stimulating social or technical innovation based on research, writing a novel based on research or developing teaching programmes for marginalised children. The sky is the limit, as long as it is motivated or inspired by research.

The network is founded by UrbNet’s centre director, Professor Rubina Raja, and managing director of Videnskabsklubben (the Science Club), Dr. Rikke Schmidt Kjærgaard. They had a vision to create a network for women that could cross-fertilise the field between academia and branches of professional life outside of academia. Inspiration was drawn from Britain, where 450 women from the UK and around the world each year are invited to a Women of the Year lunch. The Danish initiative is funded by the Carlsberg Foundation, invitations have been sent out, and the founders as well as the members of the steering committee and the executive committee are looking immensely forward to an inspirational day in May.

The steering committee consists of:

• Rubina Raja (Professor og Centre Director, Aarhus University)
• Rikke Schmidt Kjærgaard (Director, The Science Club)
• Majken Schultz (Professor, Copenhagen Business School; Chairwoman, The Carlsberg Foundation)
• Marie Louise Nosch (Professor, University of Copenhagen; President, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters)

Furthermore, the panel deciding on the award winners consists of 19 executive female committee members.

Read more about Women of the Year on https://womenoftheyear.net/