2026 Early Career Researcher Paper Prize Competition
South African Geographical Journal
VISIT JOURNALThe South African Geographical Journal is thrilled to announce the launch of its 2026 Early Career Researcher Paper Prize Competition! This prestigious competition celebrates outstanding research contributions by early career geographers and aims to highlight innovative scholarship that advances geographic knowledge in southern Africa and beyond.
Prize: £500 and a certificate of recognition signed by the journal’s editors.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the competition, entrants must:
Be a member of the Society of South African Geographers (SSAG).
Be the lead author of the submitted paper.
Have their paper published in the South African Geographical Journal in 2026.
Be an Early Career Researcher:
- Under the age of 40.
- Within 5 years of completing their PhD.
Note: Each researcher can only win this prize once.
Submission and Timeline
Eligible Papers: All research papers published in the 2026 issues of the journal will automatically be considered.
Winner Announcement: The winner will be announced in the first issue of 2027.
About the Journal
Founded in 1917, the South African Geographical Journal is the flagship publication of the Society of South African Geographers. The journal serves as a platform for high-quality research that uses southern Africa as a lens to explore critical geographic themes, including:
Climate Change
Environmental studies
Development
Governance and policy
Physical and urban geography
Human geography
Sustainability
Tourism
GIS and remote sensing
Only research papers will be considered for this competition.
This is your opportunity to showcase your work, gain recognition, and contribute to the advancement of geographic scholarship in southern Africa.
For more information, visit the journal’s website or contact us directly (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rsag).
Let’s celebrate the next generation of geographic researchers!
