Congress award graz

Congress Award Graz

Outstanding services rendered to the conference venue Graz

The Congress Award Graz recognises event organisers from the fields of science, research, business and non-profit organisations, who have rendered outstanding services in the implementation of meetings and conferences as ambassadors of the city of Graz, both locally and on national and international levels. Up to six awards are presented annually in the following categories:

  • Regularly recurring events
  • Extraordinary individual events
  • Innovative, special events


With these awards the city of Graz expresses its appreciation and gratitude towards conference organisers.

Congress Award Graz - Gala - "Wissen schaffen" (creating knowledge)

Hosted by mayor Mag. Siegfried Nagl, the Graz Congress Awards will take place at an official gala.
The event will be organised according to the criteria of the Austrian Green Events environmental trademark.

Submission / Application

Application is on the basis of a submission. The relevant questionnaire for evaluation is available from the Convention Bureau of the city of Graz, the Congress Graz trade fair centre and the Cultural Office of the city of Graz.

All organisers of conventions and conferences that took place in the preceding qualifying year for the award and who submitted electronically application documents with attachments to the Graz Convention Bureau before the submission deadline are qualified to apply.

The Congress Award Graz amounts to € 2000 per prize.

Selection procedure / jury

Every year, assessing the preceding year, a jury is constituted of five to seven members approved by the rectors of the four universities of Graz, namely Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Graz University of Technology, Medical University of Graz, University of Music and Performing Arts, the technical colleges of Graz, Academy of Sciences, schools of education, as well as the board of Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH., the board of department 8 for science and health of the Styrian provincial government and the Cultural Office in its role as promoter of science on behalf of the city of Graz. From all applicants, the jury nominates the award winners in the various categories, although there does not have to be a prize winner in ever category. Furthermore, initiators and members of the jury can also take their own initiative and nominate congresses.

Evaluation takes place essentially according to the following criteria:

  • Internationality of the event
  • Technical significance on either a national and/or international level
  • Number of overnight stays and indirect returns
  • Scale and number of participants
  • Impact in terms of image for Graz/social standing
  • Commercial relevance / turnover and budget
  • Regularly recurring event
  • Innovation, originality and initiative
  • Consideration of sustainability (“green meetings”) during organising