The Ian Ramsey Centre, winner of the 2026 Ayala Prize

The Ayala Award, established by the Hana and Francisco José Ayala Center in Science, Technology and Religion at Universidad Pontificia Comillas, recognizes outstanding achievements in building bridges across disciplines and nations.

Inspired by the legacy of scientist and humanist Francisco Ayala, the award honors distinguished individuals and institutions whose established careers have made significant contributions to the dialogue among science, technology, ethics, and religion. It thus recognizes excellence, integrity, and a commitment to the common good.

In its third edition, the 2026 Ayala Award has been granted to the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford in recognition of its commitment to rigorous, interdisciplinary, and humanistic dialogue among science, philosophy, and theology. The Centre's work exemplifies the Award's goals of academic excellence, social impact, and the generation of knowledge with global relevance.

The Ian Ramsey Centre's principal contribution lies in its having established, over more than three decades, a leading international research hub that integrates scientific and humanistic perspectives to address fundamental questions about humanity, the universe, and meaning. This approach has helped overcome traditional dichotomies between science and religion, fostering broader and more coherent frameworks of understanding.

The 2026 Ayala Award events will take place on 1–2 October 2026.

In 2024, the inaugural Ayala Award was presented to Camilo Cela Conde, Diego Bermejo, and Robert M. Hauser, then Chief Executive Officer of the American Philosophical Society. In 2025, the second Ayala Award was presented to Dr. Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, Mexico's Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation.