The Warwick Writing Programme is already one of the largest and most successful in the UK, and the biennial Warwick Prize for Writing will help to raise its international profile in the world of literature and increase global competition. The aim is for the Prize to become as distinctive as the University itself.

The £50,000 Warwick Prize is entirely self-funded by the University. The University is able to make such an investment as it generates 63% of its own income.

The Prize itself will help define where writing might be going; what new shapes and forms it may take; and even through what media it might be conducted - including electronic forms as well as the traditional form of a book.

The new Prize is part of the University's Vision 2015 plan to enhance the University's already significant international links and position it as an intellectual gateway to the UK and beyond.

The Prize brilliantly underlines the University of Warwick's position at the forefront of academic excellence, its thematic approach to cross-disciplinary learning and reputation for creative excellence.

All current University of Warwick staff employed by the University by the during the nomination period, emeritus professors and readers, current students registered at the University of Warwick during the nomination period, Warwick honorary graduates and Warwick honorary professors are eligible to nominate one piece of writing on the given theme. Once the submission process has ended, a panel will filter all entries to reach a longlist of a maximum of 15 submissions.

The Judging Panel of five will reduce this further to a shortlist of six entries from which a winner will be chosen and awarded £50,000.

The winner of this award will receive £50,000 and the opportunity to take up a short fellowship at The University of Warwick.

All submissions need to be an excellent and substantial piece of writing in the English language, in any genre or form, on a theme which will be announced in advance. The theme for 2011 is Colour.

The winning submission will represent an intellectual, scientific and/or imaginative advance and be written with an energy and clarity.

Eligible works must have been published - whether in print or electronically - between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2010.

The entries do not need to conform to a word count. Instead the judges will mark each work individually to decide whether the work is significant, well written and adequately descriptive of the theme.

The nominated piece of writing can be drawn from any discipline, be it science, arts or social science. For example, a volume of poetry could feasibly be judged alongside a scientific textbook.

It is important to remember that this is a prize for writing. The Prize will begin to explore what literature is, and what new shapes and forms it might be taking.

An author could apply the methods and approaches of several disciplines. For instance, while history, quantum physics and drama are separate disciplines, elements from them all can be combined to create a piece of writing.

It is not possible to be prescriptive with a definition for Colour. The judges will look at each individual author's work to see how they interpret the term and express it within their work. Each piece of work will be weighed upon its own merits.

Self-published works will be considered for the Prize as long as they conform to the quality of work required.

Yes, as long as the work has been published during the stated prize period of between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2010.

All current University of Warwick staff employed by the University by the during the nomination period, emeritus professors and readers, current students registered at the University of Warwick during the nomination period, Warwick honorary graduates and Warwick honorary professors are eligible to make one nomination.

Only one nomination may be made per nominee and the identity of the nominator will remain confidential. Self-nominations are ineligible.

Yes.

In keeping with the remit of the University, the Prize aims to encourage a diverse and international range of entries. Submissions may be translations of a work first published in another language. If so, the submission must be the first English translation and must have appeared within the stated prize period.

Eligible works must have been published - whether in print or electronically - between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2010.

Should a translated piece of work be chosen as the winning submission, the translator will receive a proportion of the prize money.

The judges are appointed by the Prize Management Group which is made up of senior professors and administrative staff drawn from across the faculties, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

The Prize Management Group is responsible for the administration of the Prize, including agreeing the Rules, the guidelines for the Judges and the arrangements for the award of the Prize.

The longlist, shortlist and the winner of the Warwick Prize for Writing will be chosen by the Judging Panel.

The theme is chosen by the Prize Management Group.

The Prize is awarded every two years. The next one will be awarded in 2011.

Yes.