The Newton Prize is an annual £1 million fund awarded for the best research or innovation that promotes the economic development and social welfare of Newton Fund partner countries.
Newton Prize 2020: Shortlist announced
Ten of the 27 shortlisted projects in this year's Newton Prize are British-Council delivered projects in Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Turkey. The winners will be announced at a virtual awards event in November 2020.
Read more in our Newton Prize 2020 news article.
Newton Prize 2019
Newton Prize winner in Indonesia
Led by Professor Richard Haigh from the University of Huddersfield and Dr Harkunti Rahayu from Institut Teknologi Bandung, this winning project is helping to protect coastal communities from the devastation caused by coastal hazards such as flooding and tsunamis. The research has improved Indonesia’s capacity to deal with these events through better communications and warning procedures.
Read more about the winning Newton Prize Indonesia 2019 project.
Newton Prize winner in China
The Researcher Links Workshop project has shown how big data and service design principles can help to overcome the global challenge of urban development as cities expand and populations grow old. The work led to improved transportation services, and better access and suitability of services for the elderly.
View the Newton Prize China 2019 press release
View the government press release (in English and Chinese)
Newton Prize 2018
Newton Prize winner in Colombia
A Researcher Links travel grant project on turning environmentally damaging coffee waste into electricity has been awarded the Newton Prize in Colombia. The project is a collaboration between Lina María Agudelo-Escobar, Associate Professor, University of Antioquia and Dr Claudio Avignone-Rossa, University of Surrey. Find out more on the Newton Prize website.
Newton Prize winner in Brazil
A Newton Institutional Skills project, delivered by the British Council, won the Newton Prize in Brazil. The project focuses on improving the lives of the Guarani people by saving the Atlantic Forest. It is a collaboration between Marc Brightman, Co-Director at the Centre for the Anthropology of Sustainability, University College London and Daniel Calazans Pierri, General Coordination Member for the Indigenous Work Centre in Brazil. Find out more on the Newton Prize website.
In 2017, projects delivered by the British Council won four out of six prizes in the prize countries Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.