Yrjö Jahnsson Award - Selection Process

The selection committee, who is invited by the EEA President (in the case that the President is not eligible for the Award), is composed of five members. The EEA President considers gender, geography and field when inviting the selection committee members. Selection committee members sit for a maximum of 2 award terms. One member is chosen by the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation.

Since 2010, the Award Committee proposes one (or two candidates) for the award to the EEA Executive Committee. The selection committee also informs the EEA Executive Committee of how the decision was reached, the motivation for the nominated candidates, as well as a list of any other candidates that were considered during the last stages of the process as potential winners of the award. The EEA Executive Committee and the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation then endorse the proposal of award winner(s). If for some reason the proposed winner is not endorsed, the EEA Executive Committee asks the selection committee to reconsider its proposal. 

A further change was decided in 2019, when the EEA and the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation decided to extend the age limit in certain circumstances, such as for maternity leave (12 months per child), long-term illness, or national mandatory military service.  

The winner is announced immediately after the endorsement. The announcement is posted on EEA and Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation websites.