1. The Geneva Association's Ernst Meyer Prize

The Geneva Association awards the prestigious Ernst Meyer Prize annually for a doctoral thesis that makes a significant and original contribution to the study of risk and insurance economics. Since September 2004, the Judging Committee for the Ernst Meyer Prize has comprised Prof. Andreas Richter (chairman), Prof. Sandrine Spaeter and Prof. Richard Watt.

Applications for the award should include all of the following: (a) an electronic version (pdf) of the thesis; (b) an abstract in English of 1,000-1,200 words; (c) two recommendations (in English), each providing a review of the submitted work; and (d) a curriculum vitae in English.

Further requirements:

• The thesis should have been accepted by the Ph.D. Committee during the calendar year preceding the submission deadline. 
• Submissions are possible in one of the following languages: English, French, Spanish and German. 
• The prize is CHF5,000. 
• Submissions for the Ernst Meyer Prize 2013 must be received on or before 31 January 2014. 
• Applications should be addressed to The Geneva Association, “Ernst Meyer Prize”, General Secretariat, route de Malagnou 53, CH-1208 Geneva, secretariat@genevaassociation.org. 

Winners of the Ernst Meyer Prize for a given year are announced and awarded their prize the following year.

► To see the past award winners, please click here.

2. Research Grants

Every year, the Association offers two grants for research to be conducted on risk and insurance economics. The deadline for submission of applications is the end of November 2012. Suggested themes and subjects are:

Economic theory:

• Uncertainty: Imperfect information in deterministic versus indeterministic models; 
• Insurance and risk management in the service economy;
• Insurability and economic fundamentals;
• Insurability: Privatisation processes and public intervention; 
• The problem of the reinsurer of last resort; 
• Credibility theory (in actuarial sciences) and economics of scale; 
• Comprehensive theories of risk: Defining, comparing and integrating pure risks, financial and entrepreneurial risks; 
• Fiscal policy, solidarity and private insurance; 
• Monetary stability and its impact on pure risk management; 
• Systemic risks, the liability portfolio of insurance and pure risk management; 
• The changing role of capital in the contemporary service economy with respect to financial institutions; 
• The economic value of human life.

 Economic practice:

• Moral hazard and fraud in the management of pure risks and insurance;
• Derivatives and their role for insurance on the assets and on the liability side; 
• Economics of health and medical care; 
• The development of technology in specific sectors and their impact on the insurability of risks;
• Reinsurance markets; 
• The role of government, risk management and insurance institutions with reference to catastrophic and environmental risks; 
• Financing the life cycle, in particular with regard to the increasing life expectancy of persons over 60: the role of insurance and public institutions; 
• Productive activities, employment and health; 
• National and international institutions, their impact on regulation and solvency rules in the insurance market (European Union, World Trade Organization, etc.); 
• Fiscal policy and reserving for large low-frequency risks; 
• Distribution strategies in insurance; 
• Emerging markets: Problems and opportunities.

The Association reserves the right to support research on other subjects which may be submitted.
Each grant is worth CHF10,000 and covers a period of 10 months.
The grants are primarily intended for research for a thesis leading to a doctor degree in economics.
Applications for research grants must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae, a  research proposal and letters of recommendation from two professors of economics.

3. Subsidies for Theses

The Association grants authors of university theses, already submitted and dealing in-depth with a subject in the field of risk and insurance economics, a subsidy of up to CHF3,000 to help defray printing costs.

► Applications for subsidies for theses must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae, a  description of the research undertaken and letters of recommendation from two professors of economics.

Please send your application before 30 November 2013 to:

The Geneva Association
“Research Grants”, 
General Secretariat
route de Malagnou 53
CH-1208 GENEVA
secretariat@genevaassociation.org