17th ALBERTA GIMÉNEZ SOCIAL JOURNALISM AWARD
The international Balearic Islands university journalism award
Submissions your entries from April 24 to September 30, 2026
Fostering talent
Open to university students around the world
In the 17 years of the award’s existence, participants have consisted of students from over 60 countries, with several of the awards ending up outside Spain.
More than 1.500 candidates
Over the course of its history, there have been over 1.500 candidates in the written and audiovisual category. In 2023, we have launched our radio category.
Recognition of young talents
Winners of the award have already gone on to become recognised professionals. For example, in 2019 Carles Bover, who won in the audiovisual category in 2014, received the Goya Award for best documentary short film.
Presentation
The University College Alberta Giménez (CESAG), affiliated to Comillas Pontifical University, announces the 17th Alberta Giménez Social Journalism Award and the 4rd editon of the International University Festival of Social Documentary (FestCESAG).
The competition, sponsored by Caixabank, will honour candidates for the best social reports in written, audiovisual and radio format, in three different categories.
The award includes one first prize of €1,000 (audiovisual format), two first prizes of €400 (written and radio formats. Also, there’ll be a second prize of €500 (audiovisual format) and one prize of €300 for the section aimed at ESO and baccalaureate students in the Balearic Islands. award for the Best Social Audiovisual Report.
Award for the best social documentary
Award for the best audiovisual social report
Award for the best radio social report
Award for the Best Social Audiovisual Report (Secondary and Pre-university Education students)
The competition is open to university students on degree and diploma-level programmes worldwide, who are studying for any type of Communication qualification in the current academic year (2025-2026), as well as University College Alberta Giménez (CESAG) graduates from the 2025-2026 academic year. Students from other higher education institutions, postgraduate programs, and master’s degrees related to the field of communication may also participate, as long as they do not exceed 25 years of age. Other qualifications may be accepted if the organization considers there is a clear connection to the field of Communication. Entries may be accepted from students on other degree courses if the organisation considers that there is a clear link with the field of communication.
The goal is to foster awareness among future communicators and university students in general about socially relevant issues, whose support is a principle of the university college.
The details
Topic
The topics will correspond to human interest content, adhering to the following issues:
- Social
- Vulnerable groups
- Training and the education system
- Culture
- Peace and Justice
- Ethics and Religion
- Communication
- Environment
- Any other discipline with a social focus
Participants
2nd- University College Alberta Giménez (CESAG) graduates from the 2025-2026 academic year).
Original
1 – An author can participate simultaneously in all categories, with the requirement that this person may only participate in a maximum of three entries.
2 – The topic will be about important social aspects. Social topics must be linked to the following issues: vulnerable groups; education and childhood; training and the education system; environment; culture; ethics and religion; peace and justice; communication, etc.
3 – The reports must be submitted in accordance with the instructions given on the web page (https://dev-cesag.rwdesarrollos.es/premioperiodismo) before the required deadlines. Entrants who are enrolled at a university other than University College Alberta Giménez (CESAG) or Comillas Pontifical University must attach a digital copy of their university enrolment slip for the current academic year through the tab enabled for the purpose on the award’s web page.
4 – The winning entries may be disseminated by the organisers, who will always indicate who the authors are, with the goal of promoting the work of the award winners.
5 – Particular care will be taken in monitoring to ensure that the work is original. In the event of total or partial plagiarism, the organisers of the competition will disqualify the candiateand shall reserve the right, depending on the seriousness of the plagiarism, to notify the authors of the original works about the plagiarism to enable the latter to take the legal action they deem appropriate.
Submission of originals for the audiovisual category
1st- The works must be original and created after January 1, 2026. The content used in the works must be completely copyright-free. The competition accepts no responsibility for any breach of copyright and it may eliminate from the competition at any time any works that fail to comply with the law on intellectual property, with regard both to the images used and to the soundtracks.
2 – The original video must be in the format of a documentary of a social nature and its educational, informative and journalistic function will be assessed.
3 – The duration of the audiovisual report shall not be longer than 12 minutes (credits included).
4 – The reports must include title and captions or credits identifying the sources, as well as information about the technical and artistic team. Whether supporting voice-over narration is used or not, the educational, informative, social and creative value of the report will be considered positively.
5 – Audiovisual works can be individual or group works. In the event that the entry belongs to a group of authors, contact and receipt of the monetary prizes, if any, will be carried out through a single representative of the group.
6 – Audiovisual works will be accepted in English, Spanish or Catalan. In the event that the original language is not English, Spanish or Catalan, the video must be subtitled in any of these three languages.
Submission of originals for the Social Audiovisuals Reports (Compulsory Secondary and Pre-university Education students)
2nd- The original video must respond to the format of audiovisual reportage (or short documentary of a social nature) and its Balearic focus will be valued.
3nd- The duration of the audiovisual report shall not be longer than 5 minutes (credits included).
4th- Audiovisual works can be individual or group works. In the case of several authors, all of them must belong to the same school. Contact and receipt of the monetary prizes, if any, will be carried out through the school.
5º- Audiovisual works will be accepted in Spanish or Catalan.
Submission of originals for the written category
2 – The originals must belong to the genre of news journalism, and specifically to the report format.
3 – Their length must be between 9,000 and 15,000 characters, including spaces, in the Times New Roman font (font size 12), with single spacing.
4 – The texts must include a headline, a subheading, a lead paragraph and the body of the report. Photographs will not be accepted.
5 – Written reports deberán ser realizados por un single author and must be signed with a pseudonym.
6 – Written works must be individual entries.
7- Works will be accepted in Spanish or Catalan.
Submission of originals for the radio category
1st- The works must be original and unpublished (they cannot have been published prior to September 30, 2026 in any media outlet; blogs, personal websites or university platforms that serve as repositories of student work are accepted.
2º- The originals must belong to the informative or informative journalistic genre, in particular they must respond to the format of a report, section or full programme.
3rd- The works can belong to the informative journalistic genre, specifically responding to the format of a report, or take the form of a podcast..
4th- The items must be of a maximum length of 30 minutes.
5th- Radio reports can be individual or group works. In the event that the entry belongs to a group of authors, contact and receipt of the monetary prizes, if any, will be carried out through a single representative of the group.
6 – Works will be accepted in Spanish or Catalan.
Special mentions
1st – The jury may award up to two special mentions regardless of the format if the quality of the non-awarded works justifies it.
2nd – The works may be written, radio, or audiovisual and will compete in a single category, having to meet the requirements established for each format category.
3rd – This category is not exclusive, so the candidate will be eligible for it by having submitted to any of the previous categories.
4th – This section may be declared void.
Awards
1- There will be seven prizes, spread over three categories (and up to two special mentions) in the following way:
AUDIOVISUAL CATEGORY
First Prize for the Best Audiovisual Social Report: €1,000
Second Prize for the Best Audiovisual Social Report: €500
SECTION REPORTS FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE BALEARIC ISLANDS
Prize for the Best Social Audiovisual Report: €300.
WRITTEN CATEGORY
First Prize for the Best Written Social Report: €400
RADIO CATEGORY
First Prize for the Best Radio Social Report: €400
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Up to two mentions, each with a grant of 200 euros
2 – Any of the categories may be declared void if the jury deems it necessary.
3 – The organization may redistribute or change the amounts of the prizes based on the jury’s proposal or according to the quality or participation in each category.
Jury
1st- The jury will be made up of the coordinators of the Award, the head of the Communications Department, lecturers in Journalism and Media Studies at University College Alberta Giménez, by directors and journalists from the written, radio and audiovisual media of the Balearic Islands and the person responsible for Communication at the sponsor..
2nd- The composition of the jury will be made public on the institutional web page within the 10 days following the end of the deadline for submission of the works.
3rd- Lecturers who have students as candidates will not be allowed to vote in that category.
Criteria
The criteria for selection and prizes by the jury will take into account:
a) Social, educational, informative and journalistic interest.
b) Originality and creativity. The jury will assess the originality of the chosen topic and its creative approach.
c) Technical and artistic quality. The jury reserves the right to reject any works that are not of a minimum standard of quality and shall be able to declare the competition void.
Time limits
1- The submission period for candidates opens April 24, 2026 and will close September 30, 2026.
2- During December 2026, the organisation will publish on its institutional website the reports accepted in the competition.
3 – The screening of the audiovisual reports will take place on a date to be determined at the beginning of 2027 at CESAG, in the framework of the IV FestCESAG – IV International University Festival of Social Documentary.
4 – The names of the winners will be made public at the award ceremony at CESAG, in the framework of the IV FestCESAG – IV International University Festival of Social Documentary.
Official section (audiovisual category)
At the end of 2026, the selection of audiovisual reports that will be part of the Official Section of the IV International University Festival of Social Documentary will be announced through the CESAG website and via email to each participant.
On a date duly communicated by the organization, the authors whose works have been selected must send:
1) A digital version of the report in Full HD (or higher), in the original version without subtitles, through any online file transfer platform (WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.). Send to: rmamblona@cesag.org
2) 2-3 stills selected from the audiovisual report.
3) Subtitles:
Short films in the original version in Spanish:
– Subtitles in English in .srt or list of dialogue in English.
Short films in the original version in English:
– Short films in the original version in English.
Other languages:
- Subtitles in Spanish in .srt or
- Subtitles in English in the format of .srt or .ass or
- List of dialogue in English;
4) List of dialogue in English:
– Trailer
– Poster
– Press Kit
– Other
In the event that they are not sent in a timely manner, the organization may decide to exclude those works.
Acceptance
Participation in the competition implies acceptance of each and every one of the competition rules and the final decision of the jury.
Organization
The Alberta Giménez Journalism Awards are organized by the Alberta Giménez University College, through his Department of Communication Studies.
Registration
Each candidate can submit up to a total of three reports. Authors must complete one form for each of their works. Submission of a report implies acceptance of the terms and conditions. (see rules) and the unappealable decision of the jury. .
For the submission of a written report:
1) Complete the form provided below.
2) Attach the report in pdf format. Take into account that the report must be signed with a pseudonym and it must not contain your personal details in any part of it.
3) Attach proof of enrolment
For the submission of an audiovisual or radio report:
1) Complete the form provided below.
2) Attach a link to your report (it must be uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo or equivalent audio portals).
3) Attach proof of enrolment if you are not a student/graduate of University College Alberta Giménez (CESAG) or Comillas.
Form
Winners 2024
Audiovisual Category
María Pujalte, Jordi Suárez, Ana Gallardo, Pere Baos, Constança Palou and Santiago Gioseffi
CESAG
First prize audiovisual report
Title: ‘Catalina i Magalluf’
Ezzah Mahmud
University of Edinburgh
Second prize audiovisual report
Title: ‘The Weight of Silence
Nahuel Durán and Claudia Risco
University of Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Second prize audiovisual report
Title: ‘Tras las grietas’
Carla Beltrán Campomar
Communication Dual Degree / CESAG
First prize written report
Title: ‘Sobrevivir a la muerte’
Andrés Mulet
Journalism / CESAG
Second prize written report
Title: ‘El culturismo, ¿un deporte que perjudica la salud?‘
Absolute Category: for Communication students in Spain universities
Sofía Sainz Sánchez
Communication Dual Degree / University Carlos III
First prize absolute category
Title: ‘Todo por una foto en Canarias‘
Section Institutes (social audiovisual report with mobile phone).
Judith Caballero and Gemma Esteva
IES Santa Maria
First prize
Title: ‘Mariona, esperit de superació’
Radio / Podcast category
Marina Muñoz Verd
Journalism / CESAG
Special mention
Title: ‘Los casos de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria en aumento desde el confinamiento por coronavirus’
Coordination
Ángeles Durán
Holder of a PhD in Communication and a Journalism graduate
Coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism
With responsibility for the written and radio categories of the award
Ricard Mamblona
PhD in Audiovisual Communication
Communications Department, University College Alberta Giménez
With responsibility for the audiovisual category of the award
