Some careers quietly shape an entire field.
Decades of research that others build on. Doctoral students who go on to lead their own departments. Policy work that changed education systems. Teaching that continues to influence how scholars think.
The Comparative and International Education Society recognizes exactly that kind of career through the CIES Honorary Fellows Award. The award has done so since 1982.
Nominations for the current cycle close on 30 October 2026.
At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Award | CIES Honorary Fellows Award |
| Organization | Comparative and International Education Society |
| Established | 1982 |
| Focus | Sustained career contributions in comparative and international education |
| Deadline | 30 October 2026 |
| Submission | Single attachment to oed@cies.us |
| Presentation | CIES Annual Meeting approximately two years later |
What the Award Recognizes
The Honorary Fellows Award is the Society’s most prestigious professional recognition. It honors senior scholars and practitioners whose sustained contributions have advanced comparative and international education in lasting ways.
The award looks across a full professional career rather than a single achievement. Recognized contributions span three areas:
- Scholarly research and publication
- Teaching and mentoring
- Policy planning, evaluation, technical assistance and administrative work
Candidates must show an outstanding record in at least two of these areas with meaningful involvement in the third.
The award is not reserved for prolific publishers alone. It can recognize a policy advisor who shaped national curricula a mentor whose influence extends through generations of researchers or an administrator who built institutional infrastructure.
Who Is Eligible
Confirm the candidate meets these criteria before preparing a nomination:
- A distinguished career in comparative and international education spanning more than 30 years
- Typically 60 years of age or older
- Long and active CIES membership including engagement in the period immediately before nomination
- A significant contribution to the development and quality of CIES as an institution not only to the wider field
The last point is important. The committee looks for candidates who invested in the Society itself. A nominee with an extraordinary publication record but minimal CIES engagement may be less competitive than one whose career is deeply linked to the organization’s development.
The Nomination Timeline
The process spans three years from nomination to presentation.
- Year one: Nominations are submitted and considered by the CIES Awards Committee
- Year two: Confirmed by the CIES Board of Directors
- Year three: Award presented at the CIES Annual Meeting
A nomination submitted by 30 October 2026 will be presented at a CIES Annual Meeting in 2028 at the earliest.
This timeline reflects the seriousness of the recognition. Nominators thinking about honoring a senior colleague should not wait for a future cycle.
What a Strong Nomination Package Includes
The nomination is assembled by the chief nominator and submitted as a single combined attachment. Required materials include:
- A nomination letter from the chief nominator
This letter makes the case for the candidate across the relevant areas of contribution. It may incorporate input from additional nominators but must be signed by the chief nominator alone. - At least five supporting letters from current CIES members
These letters should describe the candidate’s strengths and achievements specifically. Generic praise is unlikely to strengthen the package. Letters that speak to concrete contributions in research, teaching, mentoring or policy carry more weight.
Letters from non members may be included as supplementary material. They do not substitute for the five required letters from active members. - The candidate’s complete academic curriculum vitae
This should cover the entire professional career not just recent positions or selected highlights.
All materials must be compiled into one attachment and emailed to oed@cies.us by 30 October 2026.
A Note on Nomination Quality
The award committee reviews nominations holistically. A complete package is the starting point, not the finish line.
The most effective nomination letters connect the candidate’s individual contributions to the development of the field and the Society. Specificity distinguishes a compelling nomination from a respectful but forgettable one.
If you are considering nominating a colleague, start by mapping their contributions to the three areas the award covers. Identify where the evidence is strongest. Decide who is best placed to write one of the five supporting letters. Confirm that the candidate’s CIES engagement is visible and documented.
Those answers shape the nomination before you write a single word.
Apply for CIES Honorary Fellows Award
About CIES
The Comparative and International Education Society advances scholarship and practice in comparative and international education.
Beyond the Honorary Fellows Award, CIES administers other recognition programs. These include the George Bereday Annual Best CER Article Award, the Gail P. Kelly Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation, the Joyce Cain Award for Distinguished Research on People of African Descent, the Jackie Kirk Outstanding Book Award, the Elizabeth Sherman Swing Award and the African Inclusive Literacy Award among others.
Questions about the nomination process can be directed to oed@cies.us the same address used for submissions.
Key Takeaways
- CIES Honorary Fellows Award nominations are open. Deadline is 30 October 2026
- The award recognizes senior scholars and professionals with distinguished careers of more than 30 years in comparative and international education
- Eligible candidates are typically 60 or older and should have long active CIES membership
- Outstanding contribution is required in at least two of three areas: scholarly research teaching and mentoring and policy or technical service
- Significant contribution to CIES as an institution is also a selection criterion
- Five supporting letters must come from current CIES members. Non member letters may supplement but do not substitute
- All materials must be submitted as a single attachment to oed@cies.us by 30 October 2026
- The award is presented at the CIES Annual Meeting approximately two years after the nomination cycle closes