2025 Winners
Winners of the REmagine Awards 2025 announced
Thesis prize for best Master’s theses in Economics and Business Administration combines research with social impact
Image: Finalists, jury members and organisers share the stage during the presentation of the REmagine Awards 2025. Photography: PHDPhotos
Amersfoort, 5 December 2025 – The five winners of the REmagine Awards 2025 were announced during the DEB Impact Day on 2 December. These awards recognise master’s theses by Economics and Business Administration students that stand out in terms of quality and make a positive contribution to the economy and society.
The REmagine Awards are an initiative of the Decanenberaad Economie en Bedrijfskunde (DEB), a partnership of sixteen deans from Dutch universities. The awards are made possible in part by the Goldschmeding Foundation. With the thesis prize, the initiators want to encourage a new approach within their fields: they advocate for education and research that is in line with current challenges in society, focusing not only on the creation of economic value, but above all on social value.
DEB chair and dean of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Groningen, Peter Verhoef, explains: “Every year, more than 10,000 master’s students graduate with a thesis in these fields of study. They will then put the knowledge they have gained during their studies into practice. Imagine the fundamental role that economics and business education can play in training a generation that focuses not only on profit and growth, but also on broad prosperity. With this award, we not only honour individual achievements, but also demonstrate the power of fresh perspectives in bringing about positive change. The award thus forms a bridge between science and society.”
Fifteen finalists were selected from 103 entries within five different impact themes. During the DEB Impact Day, the finalists presented their research, after which an expert jury announced the five winners of the REmagine Awards. They each received a specially designed crystal award and a sum of £5,000 to spend as they wished.
Image: Winners of the REmagine Awards 2025
Winners of the REmagine Awards 2025
Karlijn van Dijken (University of Groningen)
Winner of the Sustainable Economy theme
What is the hidden climate impact of the journey that products take? Van Dijken analysed more than a thousand international supply chains and made the climate impact of these complex chains measurable. Her research shows that the current practice, in which companies only manage their direct suppliers in terms of sustainability, is fundamentally inadequate and that sustainability starts with understanding every link in the supply chain.
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Maite den Butter (Wageningen University)
Winner of the Prosperity in a Broad Sense theme
Den Butter’s research shows that protected marine areas not only restore nature, but also improve the well-being of the inhabitants of coastal villages in Papua. Her analysis of more than 1,000 villages over a period of thirteen years shows that nature restoration can go hand in hand with better quality drinking water, greater safety and stronger communities. The research emphasises that nature conservation is most effective when local residents are involved in the decision-making process.
Marie-Anne de Gier (Leiden University & TU Delft)
Winner of the Responsible Digital Transformation theme
What is the effect of digital innovations in Dutch high-tech factories on sustainability? De Gier developed a tool that provides insight into when technology contributes to sustainability and when it can actually cause additional environmental impact. Her tool is already being used by companies to make more conscious choices about which digital investments really make a difference.
Kavin Varadharajulu (Erasmus University)
Winner of the Future Health and Healthcare theme
Varadharajulu developed an AI system that can assess whether someone is at risk of diabetes with just five questions, whereas traditional questionnaires ask twenty questions. Its application can make early detection affordable and accessible, before complications arise. With his research, Varadharajulu demonstrates that AI systems can contribute to better healthcare, provided they are carefully designed and used fairly.
Jard Swinkels (Erasmus University)
Winner of the Institutional Adaptability theme
Trust, shared ambition and a willingness to invest together determine whether major transitions such as the energy transition succeed. Swinkels developed a practical measurement system for the Port of Rotterdam that makes these “soft” factors visible. The system can help companies and governments to work together more effectively by systematically measuring relational relationships.