The Elinor Ostrom Fund
Who was Elinor Ostrom?
The Fund is named after Elinor Ostrom (1933–2012), an American political economist and the first woman to receive the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (2009). She was awarded the prize for her work on economic governance and the commons, showing how communities can successfully manage shared resources through cooperation and self-governance.
Her research and her role as a pioneer in a traditionally male-dominated field make her an inspiring namesake for a fund that supports female academics and strengthens inclusive academic communities.
Fostering a Thriving Community for Female Academics
Inclusivity is one of SBE's core values. Here at SBE, we believe that diversity leads to a stronger, more creative, and innovative community. Therefore, it is a priority for us to create an inclusive environment where all members of our community feel welcomed and can thrive.
As part of our commitment to inclusivity, SBE proudly supports the Elinor Ostrom Fund. Founded by Professor Lisa Brüggen in 2014, the Fund was established to support female scholars and enhance diversity at Maastricht University's School of Business and Economics.
Building a Community of Support and Collaboration
While the Fund has a history of supporting early-career female academics through scholarships, it now furthers its impact by fostering connection, peer support, professional development, and visibility for women in academia at SBE.
We create space for open conversations about careers, leadership and work–life balance
- We offer trainings and peer support across departments and career stages
- We share role models and experiences that help all talent flourish
Each year, we organise several activities where female academics at SBE can learn and strengthen their networks. In 2025, the Elinor Ostrom Fund organised three well-attended events that combined community building with professional development. The programme started with an informal breakfast meeting in February, offering a low-threshold setting for connection and exchange. In June, a training on assertiveness and confidence provided participants with practical tools for navigating academic environments. The year concluded with a creative networking event in October, featuring a speed-dating format and mocktail workshop. Together, these events fostered meaningful connections, encouraged knowledge sharing, and supported the personal and professional growth of female academics.
Our organising committee
Contact information
- Join our next event! Invitations are circulated via SBE internal channels.
- Share your ideas for themes, speakers or formats that would help you and your colleagues.
- Volunteer as a speaker, panellist or informal mentor.
For questions about the Elinor Ostrom Fund, upcoming events or possibilities for support and collaboration, please contact: elinorostromfund-sbe@maastrichtuniversity.nl
In the spotlight
Gender equality in academia: creating an environment where all talent can flourish
In a recent article, several SBE academics discuss some of the reasons behind the striking gender imbalance in academia.
There is not one cause for the issue, so you can’t work with just one solution. It is a challenging and multi-faceted problem. Yes, some women opt out of academia; however, you can also say that some women opt out under a system that we have created
I think that there are still many leaders within academia that are quite traditional and thus do not assign value to output other than hard-core economic publications. This can be a disadvantage for women who are often good in multiple output fields, such as teaching, social impact work and leadership, but may not excel in publishing hard-core economic papers