The Fragner Award is a biennial distinction established in honor of Professor Bert Fragner, one of Austria’s most eminent Iranologists and the founding director of the Institute of Iranian Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The award was founded with the aim of supporting the development and deepening of Iranian Studies in Austria and other German-speaking countries. It recognizes outstanding books written or translated into German that deepen the understanding of Iranian history, culture, literature, philosophy, and society.
Celebrating academic excellence, intellectual integrity, and cultural dialogue, the Fragner Award highlights the most significant works published in Austria—and beyond—over the past two decades. Through this initiative, the award seeks to encourage researchers, authors, and translators; strengthen the field of Iranian Studies; and introduce exceptional contributions to both specialists and the wider public.
Honoring the legacy of Professor Fragner, this award stands as a bridge between cultures and a tribute to the enduring value of scholarly engagement with Iran. The first cycle of the award, with a one-year delay, was presented in February 2026.
The first edition of the Bert Fragner Award, dedicated to books in the field of Iranian Studies in Austria, will be held this year
The Iranians Wisdom House in Vienna will host the inaugural award ceremony on 18 February 2026.
The award is intended to introduce and honor outstanding works in Iranian Studies and to strengthen the study of Iran in Austria and other German-speaking countries.
The award will be presented annually in various fields related to Iranian Studies, including Iranian culture, Iranian history, Persian literature, art, Iranian civilizational studies, and Shi‘a studies.
The ceremony will take place in the Ibn Sina Hall of the Iranians Wisdom House in Vienna and will be attended by scholars, Iranologists, and those interested in Iranian culture and civilization.
Established in honor of the scholarly legacy of the late Professor Bert Fragner, a distinguished and dedicated Austrian Iranologist, the Bert Fragner Award will be officially conferred from 2026 onward and will be granted to works that have made a significant contribution to the presentation, analysis, or advancement of Iranian Studies.
The Iranians Wisdom House in Vienna, which has defined for itself an important role in the development and promotion of Iranian Studies, has announced that this event will continue on an annual basis as a milestone in cultural exchange between Iran and Austria, with the aim of deepening the role of Iranian Studies within the European academic landscape.
Those interested can find further information by consulting the award regulations available on the website.
