On 16 April is during the NWO ICT.OPEN 2026 conference in De Doelen Rotterdam the Dutch Prize for ICT research 2026 awarded to Dr. Robbert Krebbers, senior researcher at Radboud University Nijmegen. Prof. Dimka Karastoyanova, Board Member of the ICT-research platform Netherlands (IPN) and Drs. Linda Hovius, Chair of The Royal Dutch Science Association (KHMW), presented the prestigious prize.
Dr. Robbert Krebbers has firmly put the Netherlands on the world map in programming language research, and for this he received the ICT Prize in 2026. He succeeded in translating deep theoretical work into practical, globally used tools for software verification. The open‑source framework Iris that Krebbers co-leads has enormous international impact in both science and industry, underscored by prestigious awards, major grants, and broad adoption. Robbert Krebbers belongs to the international top in programming languages and software verification. Moreover, he also is an excellent supervisor of students and an active force in outreach and education. Krebbers combines profound theory, practical impact, community building, and international recognition in a way that is truly exceptional within the ICT research community.
The prize includes an amount of € 50,000, which may be freely used by the winner to strengthen his research. The prestigious Dutch Prize for ICT research is awarded annually to a senior academic scientific researcher who has carried out innovative research or who has been responsible for a scientific breakthrough in ICT. The prize is funded by members of the ICT research platform Nederland (IPN)* with a grant from COMMIT\, through the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW). In addition to the prize money, a video is produced explaining the award-winning work of Prof. dr. Hannes Mühleisen. This will be distributed to schools and other knowledge institutes.
The previous winners of the Dutch Prize for ICT research are:
- Professor Hannes Mühleisen – Radboud University/CWI (2025)
- Dr. Ivano Malavolta – VU University (2024)
- Dr. Cristiano Giuffrida – VU University (2023)
- Dr. Jasmin Blanchette – VU University (2022)
- Dr. Felienne Hermans – Leiden University (2021)
- Dr. Pablo Cesar – Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) (2020)
- Professor Elmar Eisemann – Delft University of Technology (2019)
- Professor Joost Batenburg – CWI / Leiden University (2018)
- Dr. Peter Schwabe – Nijmegen University (2017)
- Professor Alexandru Iosup – Delft University of Technology/ VU Amsterdam (2016)
- Dr. Birna van Riemsdijk – Delft University of Technology (2015)
- Professor Marieke Huisman – University of Twente (2013)
- Dr. Cees Snoek – University of Amsterdam (2012)
- Professor Bettina Speckmann – Eindhoven University of Technology (2011)
About KHMW
The Royal Holland Society for Sciences and Humanities was founded in 1752. Its goal is to promote science and to build bridges between science and society. It does so by holding competitions, presenting awards for scientific achievements, organizing lectures and staging scientific conferences. The Royal Holland Society for Sciences and Humanities has been based at Hodshon House in Haarlem since 1841. www.khmw.nl
*Except WUR