a. The Page Not Found Thesis Award (”the Award”) is open to graduates who have completed a Master's degree program from a Dutch Art or Design academy.
b. The submitted thesis must have been successfully defended and approved by the candidate's academic institution.
c. The mention “thesis” should appear at least once within the submitted thesis.
d. Theses submitted for the Award can be in either digital or physical format, based on the candidate's preference.
e. Candidates can submit a collective thesis, which involves the collaboration of multiple authors.
2. Submission:
a. To enter the Award, candidates must fill the online submission form and submit a copy of their published thesis.
b. The published thesis should be sent in electronic format (e.g. PDF) via the online submission form and/or in physical format by mail to the following address:
Page Not Found
Thesis Award
Boekhorststraat 126-128
2512CT Den Haag
c. Candidates must include in the online form their full name, contact information, academic institution, degree program, and a summary of their thesis.
d. The authors of a collective thesis must designate in the online form a single point of contact for communication and prize distribution purposes.
3. Judging Criteria:
a. The PNF Award will be granted to the thesis that establishes the most interesting and convincing relationship between its published form and the research developed within the thesis.
b. Special attention will be given to how the publication echoes the original research conducted in the thesis, how the text is embodied, and the design decisions related to the publication.
c. Submissions will be evaluated based on the effectiveness of design choices, the utilization of unique strategies, and how these aspects contribute to the embodiment of the thesis' subject in its physical form.
c. The quality and clarity of writing, organization, methodology, and analysis will also be considered.
4. Selection Process:
a. The Page Not Found Thesis Award committee (”the committee”) will review the submitted theses.
b. The committee may conduct additional evaluations or seek external reviews if necessary.
c. The committee's decision will be final and cannot be appealed.
5. Prize:
a. The winner of the Award will receive the following:
i. Coverage of printing costs up to €3,000.00 (three thousand Euros, excluding VAT) for the republication of their thesis.
ii. A total fee of €2,000.00 (two thousand Euros, excluding VAT) for the author of the thesis.
b. Payment will be made after approval by the committee, signing of a book publishing agreement, and reception of a copy of a valid proof of identity.
c. In the case of a collective thesis, the total fee will be split among the authors involved.
d. The republication of the thesis will be arranged in collaboration with the committee, but remains the responsibility of the author(s).
e. The committee is responsible for the distribution of the winning thesis.
f. The author(s) will receive a number of copies of the publication for personal distribution or use as per their discretion, as specified in the book publishing agreement.
6. Copyright Compliance:
a. The author of the winning thesis must possess or obtain all necessary copyrights and permissions required for the re-publication of the thesis.
b. The author is responsible for ensuring that the republication of the thesis, including any copyrighted materials or third-party content, complies with applicable copyright laws and regulations.
7. Distribution, Publicity and Promotion:
a. The committee will oversee the distribution process, which may include delivering copies to academic institutions, libraries, or other relevant entities.
b. The committee will make reasonable efforts to ensure widespread dissemination and accessibility of the winning thesis.
c. The author of the winning thesis agrees to cooperate with the committee in providing necessary information and materials for distribution purposes.
d. The committee reserves the right to publicize the winning thesis and the author's achievement through various channels, such as press releases, websites, and social media.
e. The author may also be requested to participate in promotional activities related to the Award.
8. Deadlines and Notifications:
a. The committee will announce the submission deadline, which must be strictly adhered to.
b. Candidates will be notified of the selection results within a reasonable timeframe after the judging process is completed.
c. Correspondence about the outcome of the procedure is by email; objection to the decision taken is not possible.
9. Handling of Physical Theses:
a. Page Not Found will not return the physical copies of theses submitted for the Award to the candidates.
b. Candidates have however the option to pick up their physical thesis copies within a specified timeframe after the award announcement.
c. Theses that are not picked up within the designated timeframe will be considered as donated to Page Not Found.
d. Donated theses may be used for educational, archival, or other non-commercial purposes as deemed appropriate by Page Not Found.
10. Disqualification:
a. Any violation of the rules, including misrepresentation of authorship or plagiarism, will lead to immediate disqualification.
b. The committee reserves the right to take appropriate action if any misconduct is discovered during or after the selection process.
11. Modifications to the Rules:
a. The committee may modify the rules, if necessary, to ensure fairness, clarity, or compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
b. Any changes made to the rules will be communicated to the candidates through the official Award communication channels.