The Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland grants annual state awards for information publication based on the proposal of the Committee for Public Information.
State Awards for Public Information have been granted since 1968. Read more about the history of the state award system and the background of the State Award for Public Information.
For what and to whom?
Awards are granted for major information publication work in the field of scientific, artistic and technological information dissemination that has increased citizens’ knowledge and stimulated societal debate. The award is granted for currently relevant information publication work, which may include high-level non-fiction works or other information products. The award can also be granted for exemplary, long-term, multifaceted public information work.
Awards are granted to authors or working groups. The lifetime achievement award for information publication can be granted for long-term work of particular merit. Awards are not granted for scientific publications intended for a narrowly defined group of experts or for the production of teaching materials for a narrowly defined audience.
The number and magnitude of State Awards for Public Information are decided annually. The Committee makes a proposal within the limits of the prize funds set aside by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Who and how?
Nominations can be made by individuals and associations.
Award nominations must be made by 1 December each year on an electronic form. Nominations submitted after the deadline will be considered in the following year.
Nominations can also be submitted by email or post. See our contact details.
The Committee prepares a proposal for the Ministry of Education and Culture concerning the recipient of the award by 31 May.
The members and the Secretary-General of the Committee are also entitled to select information products that have not been nominated for inclusion in the deliberations.
Evaluation copies
Publishers are requested to provide three or four (3–4) evaluation copies of works nominated for an award and deliver them to the Committee’s office. All of the works delivered to the Committee throughout the year will be included in deliberations. The Committee reminds publishers of their option of delivering works for evaluation as soon as they are published.
Other background material
Background material on TV and radio programmes, newspapers and magazines, online services and other information products nominated for awards, and on people nominated for lifetime achievement awards, is to be delivered to the Committee’s office.
The Committee will not return material submitted to it.
