economic futures essay competition

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FCDO Next Generation Economics 2024 competition

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) invites UK school students to write about big economic challenges by 28 June 2024.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) coordinates the UK’s diplomatic relationships, promotes UK interests abroad, and manages the UK’s overseas development budget.

The Next Generation Economics competition is managed by the FCDO in collaboration with the Hub for Equal Representation ( HER ) at the London School of Economics and Political Science ( LSE ).

Economics is important to our work, whether it is evaluating the sustainability of the UK’s international climate change commitments or analysing the contribution of the UK in reducing global poverty through aid programmes. Economics helps the FCDO make the most of each pound of taxpayer money.

The Next Generation Economics competition

The FCDO invites UK school students to write about the biggest economic challenges facing their generation. The competition is open until 28 June 2024.

to hear your ideas on one of the biggest economic challenges facing your generation. The FCDO represents UK interests across the world, and our economists work on finding and analysing solutions to global challenges

to inspire the next generation of economists. Our competition aims to demonstrate how economics is a vital tool for answering important, urgent policy questions

the next generation of economists to be even more diverse and open-minded than the current generation. We encourage you to enter the competition, whatever your background (and however much you know about economics). Find out more about diversity in the economics profession

Watch the video: FCDO Next Generation Economics Competition

Competition themes

To enter, submit your letter responding to 1 out of these 4 questions: 

2023 Nobel Prize laureate Claudia Goldin states that unequal division of caregiving and household responsibilities play a key role in gender pay gap. What policies could governments implement to increase female participation in the paid economy?  

International efforts to reduce carbon emissions increase demand for clean energy technology and critical minerals. How could material rich developing countries capitalize on the demand for critical minerals to boost growth?  

Climate change plus the impact of global conflict on international supply chains has enhanced risk on food security. What market intervention can governments across the world take to mitigate food security risk?  

According to the UN, 3.3 billion people now live in countries where debt interest payments are greater than expenditure on health or education. What actions could governments globally take to ensure debt does not prevent investment towards development?

Writing tips and links to helpful sources can be found in the ‘Useful information’ section.

Email your completed FCDO Next Generation Economics Entry Template ( ODT , 6.7 KB ) to [email protected] by 11:59pm on 28 June 2024.

We will announce the results on this webpage in July 2024.

Who can enter  

To enter, you must be: 

• at least 14 years old 
• studying in the UK at secondary school level (including sixth form and elective home education or home schooling), or at a British international school 

You do not need to be studying or have studied economics. 

Entering the competition is free.

We will announce the competition results in July 2024. There are several prizes on offer: 

• the winner will receive a cash prize of £500 
• 2 runners up will each receive 250  
• 5 shortlisted entrants will receive £100 each 

The winner will present their essay to Adnan Khan, FCDO Chief Economist . 

The top 8 entrants will be offered a fully-funded visit to the FCDO and the London School of Economics in London. They will also meet with one of the co-directors of the Hub for Equal Representation at the LSE . Fully-funded visits are only available to UK-based entrants. 

We will publish the letters of the winner and runners up on the GOV.UK website and share them across the Government Economic Service .  

The top 25 entrants will each receive an economics book, chosen from a shortlist selected by the FCDO Chief Economist.

How to submit your entry   

Do not include any personal information in the main part of your letter. This allows us to mark entries anonymously and as fairly as possible. You should include this in the covering email instead. 

Your entry should: 

• be formatted as a letter addressed to the  FCDO ’s Chief Economist Adnan Khan  
• be 1,000 words or fewer 
• clearly reference any evidence included. We recommend using the  Harvard referencing style . References are not included in the word count 
• not use applications such as ChatGPT or other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) 

Entries can include graphs and graphics, but these are not essential. 

You can ask an economics teacher for advice on the themes they plan to cover, economic concepts, recommended sources and writing styles.  

Find more information about  writing like an economist and where to find useful sources .

The FCDO Next Generation Economics Entry Template ( ODT , 6.7 KB ) includes a table at the top with information including your name, age and school. Fill this in, remove it from the template and include it in your email to us.  

How to do this: 

1. Fill in the entry template

2. Select and cut completed template

3. Create email

4. Paste completed template into to email

5. Attach entry and email it to [email protected]

Download the FCDO Next Generation Economics Entry Template ( ODT , 6.7 KB )

If you don’t have an email account 

If you do not have access to email, you can post your letter. Send it this address, and include the information from the table at the top of the template on a separate sheet of paper:  

Next Generation Economics Competition Team Room KG.18 Economics Directorate   Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office   King Charles Street   London   SW1A 2AH

How we mark entries 

A panel of FCDO economic advisors will read and mark your entry and agree a final shortlist of letters. The FCDO Chief Economist and co-directors of the Hub for Equal Representation at the LSE will review the shortlist and choose the winner and runners up.

The panel will consider these points when marking your entry:

Creativity  

All the competition questions address big economic challenges and have many possible answers. You should think about these questions with an open mind, and present, using evidence, your own ideas.

Economic concepts 

A great entry will use economic concepts to support the arguments it makes.

Using evidence 

Judges will be looking for effective use of evidence. Make sure you present your evidence clearly and explain the source.

Clear and concise writing 

You should structure your argument carefully to make every word count. Write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.

Useful information

To get inspiration, you can read the winning letters from last year’s competition .

These features will make your essay stand out, and are what we will look for when marking essays:

tell a story: create an engaging and convincing narrative, include an introduction and conclusion 

focus on economic analysis: discuss economic concepts that are relevant to the question 

focus on policy solutions: provide answers and solutions to the economic challenges of the question 

use evidence: use real world examples such as recent policy responses to support your arguments 

use visuals: use visuals, for example graphs, to help demonstrate your argument 

evaluate: provide critical analysis of proposed policies and focus on how efficient each policy solution is

Useful sources of information  

Question 1: Increasing female participation in the paid economy

The Unpaid Care Work and the Labour Market. An analysis of time use data based on the latest World Compilation of Time-use Surveys  

Gloria Steinem: Valuing Women’s Work

Podcast: Care Economy: Reducing Unpaid Work and Inequality. Social Protection Podcast

Question 2: Material rich developing countries capitalising on demand

Mineral-Rich Developing Countries Can Drive a Net-Zero Future

Clean energy minerals: Developing countries must add value to capitalize on demand

Critical minerals can pave the road to more robust international development

How industrial policies can complement future sustainable resource extraction in Africa

Question 3: Government market intervention to mitigate food security risk

Climate Explainer: Food Security and Climate Change  

How is the war in Ukraine affecting global food security? - Economics Observatory  

How to mitigate the effects of climate change on food security  

5 ways to tackle climate change and advance food security  

The race to improve food security

Question 4: Actions governments could take to ensure debt does not prevent development

Back to Basics: What is Debt Sustainability?  

Solving the low-income country debt crisis: four solutions  

How to Prevent Debt from Hurting Economic Growth

Market Reforms Can Stabilize Debt and Foster Growth in Developing Countries  

Swapping Debt for Climate or Nature Pledges Can Help Fund Resilience   

Debt relief for low-income countries   

How do rising U.S. interest rates affect emerging and developing economies?

Find out more about the competition:

• writing like an economist
• diversity in the economics profession
• to provide you with inspiration, read the winning letters from last year’s competition

If you have any questions about the competition, email [email protected]

Good luck! We look forward to reading your entries.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is a data controller. This means that we are responsible for any of your personal data that we collect or use. We will treat all personal information in accordance with data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Visit our website to learn more about how we handle personal information .

Guidance reviewed and updated for 2024 competition.

Link to 2023 competition winner and runners up added.

The deadline for entering the competition is extended to 25 June 2023.

Guidance reviewed and updated for 2023 competition. Submit your entry by 8 May 2023.

The competition deadline has been extended to 18 February 2022.

Updated with information on the new 2021 to 2022 competition.

Next Generation competition deadline extended to 21 May 2021

First published.

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UPDATE: Beyond GDP Essay Competition Publication now available!

On 19 February 2024, the SDG Lab together with Rethinking Economics International and the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched a joint call for essays aimed at young people, aged 30 and under, inviting them to share their perspective on the values that should be emphasized in a framework moving beyond GDP.

The question for the competition was as follows:

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a measure of the economic output of a country, has become one of the most powerful metrics of our time. It has, however, been used in unintended ways, including as a proxy for wealth creation, wellbeing, and development. Developing indicators to complement GDP could enhance decision-making in the best interest of people and the planet, and could fundamentally change our priorities and the future. What values and principles would you like to see in a Framework to Value What Counts beyond GDP and what are the challenges to be addressed as a priority?

A total of 630 essays were submitted from 50 different countries, offering insights and perspectives on the values and principles that young people would like to see in a framework moving beyond GDP. All essays were carefully reviewed by a committee composed of experts from the three organizing partners, and the values expressed were noted and integrated into a summary document ( forthcoming June 2024 ). For a glimpse of the values and principles highlighted, consult the Gallery.

On 17 April five of the essay winners, from Brazil, Denmark, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe, joined us in Geneva. They shared their perspectives on moving beyond GDP with leaders and experts from the UN, Member States, academia, and civil society. The meeting titled “ What Counts in the Future? A Youth Perspective on Measuring What We Value ” was organized in collaboration with UNCTAD and Rethinking Economics.

Download the publication here .

Related Items

Consider joining our Discord !

Harker Oeconomia

Harvard international economics essay competition, description.

The 2023 Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA) in conjunction with the Harvard College Economics Review (HCER). This essay competition is open to high school students of any year and is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, student competitors hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge to future employers and academic programs.  Competitors must construct a convincing argument using economic theory and real-world examples.  Winning essays will be published in the Harvard Economics Review and will be available for the greater Harvard community to read. Essays should focus on argumentation supported with facts and references, although data-based support is also welcome.

Meet the winners of the Beyond GDP Essay Competition

UPDATE (May 2024) – Download and read their winning essays here .

On 19 February 2024, the SDG Lab together with Rethinking Economics International and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched a joint call for essays aimed at young people, aged 30 and under, inviting them to share their perspective on the values that should be emphasized in a framework moving beyond GDP.

The question for the competition was as follows:

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a measure of the economic output of a country, has become one of the most powerful statistics of our time. It has, however, been used in unintended ways, including as a proxy for wealth creation, wellbeing, and development. Developing metrics to complement GDP could enhance decision-making in the best interest of people and the planet, and could fundamentally change our priorities and the future.  What values and principles would you like to see in a  Framework to Value What Counts beyond GDP  and what are the challenges to be addressed as a priority?

630 essays were submitted from 50 different countries, offering insights and perspectives on the values and principles that young people would like to see in a framework moving beyond GDP. All essays were carefully reviewed by a committee composed of experts from the three organizing partners, and the values expressed were noted and integrated into a summary document ( forthcoming June 2024 ). In the gallery you can find a glimpse of the values and principles highlighted.

On the 17 th  of April five of the essay winners, from Brazil, Denmark, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe, will be joining us in Geneva. They will share their perspectives on moving beyond GDP with leaders and experts from the UN, Member States, academia, and civil society. The meeting titled “ What Counts in the Future? A Youth Perspective on Measuring What We Value ” is organized in collaboration with UNCTAD and Rethinking Economics. Stay tuned, as the ten essays will be published in the coming weeks, ahead of the meeting on the 17 th  of April.

If you are interested in joining this meeting in-person, please reach out to the  SDG Lab.

This blog was initially published on the SDG Lab website .

SDG Lab at UN Geneva is a multi-stakeholder innovation space for long-term sustainability. 

Harvard International Economics

Essay contest (hieec).

HIEEC provides students the opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, students hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge. 

HIEE C 202 3 -2024

Hieec 2023-2024 is now closed. .

The 2023-2024  Harvard International Economics Essay Contest is sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA). This essay competition is open to high school studen ts of any year and is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrat e an accom plished level of writing and understanding of economic the ory. T hrough the contest, student competitors hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge to future employers and academic programs. 

Competitors must construct a convincing argument using economic theory and real-world examples. Winning essays will be published on our website  and will be available for the greater Harvard community to read. Essays should focus on argumentation supported with facts and references, although data-based support is also welcome.

Yiheng Lyu​

Audrey Ku k​

Hyoungjin Jin

Juyoung Chun

Kevin Zhang

Matthew Choi

Mikayil Sadikhov

Raunak Agarwal

Vallabh Himakunthala

Highly Commended

Aronima Biswas

Aryan Nangia

Kridaya Gupta

Leonardo Jia

Rohan Mathur

Anagha Chakravarti

Amberlynn Gong

Neha Shanavas

Donghyeon Oh

2023-2024  Essay Questions

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to affect growth, inequality, productivity, innovation, and employment. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in particular, has greatly increased public awareness about the significance of AI and its implications for the future. What impact will the development of AI have on economic inequality, the composition of the workforce, and economic output as a whole? How can nations prepare for the micro and macroeconomic changes brought about by AI?

Measuring national and global economic activity allows us to understand how economies change in size and structure—how they grow and contract. In addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), government budgets, and the money supply, alternatives like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income (GNI) are used to assess economic progress. What are the advantages of our current economic indices, including GDP, HDI, GNI, government budgets, and the money supply, and in what areas are they lacking? Which of these indices do you find most helpful, and how can we enhance or combine them to improve our understanding of economic measurement?

Proponents of income redistribution support the idea that redistribution policies will increase economic stability and give more opportunities to the less wealthy. Others, however, are more skeptical and believe it could have negative consequences for economic growth. Current methods of redistribution include taxation, welfare, public services, and other monetary policies. What strategies for income redistribution should the U.S. adopt from other countries? What economic impacts could a wealth tax or super millionaire tax have? What type of redistribution is most effective and feasible? What would be the impacts of the U.S. enacting universal basic income? Discuss the implications of any of these issues and feel free to expand on other areas of economic redistribution.

As the United States weighs the impacts of China’s rise to global prominence, economics and national security have become increasingly intertwined. As a result, the United States government has imposed both tariffs and investment restrictions on China to limit the nation’s access to both US markets and intellectual property (specifically in sensitive industries such as semiconductors). What are the economic implications of these policies for United States firms, consumers, and workers? Discuss the most important perspectives of the US-China trade war and provide suggestions on how both countries can manage the prospect of a changing economic order.

2nd November 2023 – Essay titles released

11:59pm EST 5th January 2024  – Essay submission deadline

Late February 2024*  – Highly Commended and Finalists notified

Early March 2024 * – Winners notified, results published on the website

*We received a high volume of submissions, therefore we anticipate  that it will take us a couple m ore w eeks to release the results. 

Entrants must choose one of the four prompts and write a response to it with a strict limit of 1500 words. Submission must be via the HUEA website and entrants are limited to submitting one essay with only the first submission being considered. Each essay submission will have a $20 reading fee which should be paid upon submission of the essay. If this fee will impose a significant financial burden on your family, please email us. The deadline for submitting the essay is 11:59pm EST January 5th, 2024. ​

Please submit essay submissions via this form.

If the above link does not work, use:  https://forms.gle/9NVDu9WVbU71iPpq6

*Be sure to read all the details in the submission form carefully before submitting, as failure to complete any of the steps correctly may result in your submission not being considered.

The essays will be judged by the board of the HUEA, with the top 10 submissions being adjudicated by the esteemed Harvard professor and 2016 Economics Nobel Prize winner Oliver Hart.

The top three winning essays will be published ( with the author’s permission) on our website. A finalist s list of the top  submissions will be published online and adjudicated by 2016 Economics Nobel Prize Winner Oliver Hart. A list of names that will receive the "Highly Commended" distinction will also be published online​. The judges' decisions are final.

Terms and Conditions

The word limit of 1500 must be strictly adhered to. Any words past the limit will be truncated. This limit excludes references, footnotes, titles, headers and footers.

Essays must be written only by the entrant. Any outside assistance must be declared in the beginning or end of the essay.

Only your first submission will be accepted. Any further submissions will not be read.

References must be included, and any plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

References must be in Chicago or APA format. 

The only accepted document formatting is PDF. Any other format will not be accepted, nor will refunds be given to those who do not follow this rule.

No refunds are granted.

Grades 9-12 are permitted.

The essay must not be entered in any other competition nor be published elsewhere.

No individual feedback of essays will be granted.

The decisions made by HUEA by the final round of adjudication are final.

All winners agree to their names being published on the HUEA website.

Past Winners

2022  prompts an d winners.

In recent years and decades, many countries have seen fertility rates drop, potentially leading to falling populations. Currently, China has a fertility rate of 1.3, one of the lowest in the world. However, in 2021, China experienced GDP growth of 8% with output totaling $17.7 trillion. Will this lowered fertility rate (with potential to fall further) affect China’s economic growth and policy? How so? What, if anything, can the Chinese government do to limit the risk of falling fertility rates?

U.S. mortgage rates recently passed 7%, making the purchase of a new home increasingly unaffordable. Meanwhile, the United States has suffered from a chronic shortage of available housing for decades, particularly in urban areas, leading to what many scholars and advocates call an affordability crisis. Why is housing so unaffordable in the U.S.? What can (or should) be done by private actors, state and local governments, and the federal government to alleviate the affordability crisis?

It is often suggested that a tradeoff exists between economic growth and the health of the environment, especially now as the threat of climate change becomes more dire. What economic risks does a changing climate pose? Can economic growth be consistent with a healthy environment? What policies, either market-based or otherwise, should governments enact to protect the environment while posing the least danger to economic efficiency? 

Central banks such as the Federal Reserve in the U.S. and the Bank of England in the UK manage their nation’s macroeconomies with the goal of ensuring price stability and maximum employment. Globally, inflation rates are rising to levels not seen since the 1980s, particularly in the U.S. and European countries. To what extent should the monetary policies of central banks in various Western countries differ or resemble one another as a reaction to the specific causes of inflation facing their economies?

​ Click below to view each winner's essay

Ashwin t elang  *   nanxi jiang   *   duncan wong, 2019 wi n ner.

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/when-is-one-choice-one-t oo-many

2020 Winners

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/covid-19-and-the-market

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/automation-and-jobs-this-time-is-different

https://www.economicsreview.org/post/making-rational-decisions

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SDG Lab/Rethinking Economics Beyond GDP Essay Competition 2024 (Win a trip to Geneva)

Deadline: March 6, 2024

Applications are open for the SDG Lab/Rethinking Economics Beyond GDP Essay Competition 2024 . Leading up to the meeting on 17 April, the SDG Lab in collaboration with Rethinking Economics has launched an essay competition for young people to share their perspective on moving beyond GDP. The competition will encourage young people to reflect on the following question:

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a measure of the economic output of a country, has become one of the most powerful statistics of our time. It has, however, been used in unintended ways, including as a proxy for wealth creation, wellbeing and development. Developing metrics to complement GDP could enhance decision-making in the best interest of people and the planet and could fundamentally change our priorities and the future. What values and principles would you like to see in a Framework to Value What Counts beyond GDP and what are the challenges to be addressed as a priority?

• Ten winning essays will be selected to be included in a compilation to be published by the SDG Lab and Rethinking Economics.
• In addition, the authors of the top five essays will have travel and accommodation costs covered up to €1,300 to participate in the 17 April meeting in person and share the main points of their essays during the meeting. Organisers are unable to provide assistance with visa applications for those who are eligible but they can provide letters of invitation from UNCTAD.

Eligibility

• Essays can be submitted by persons under the age of 30, regardless of the person’s affiliation with the Rethinking Economics network.
• Essay submissions should be between 700 – 1000 words.
• Your Essay should make a clear argument written in your own voice. 
• If experts or other texts are cited, this must be clear. Hyper-linked references (if any) are preferred to footnotes.
• If desired, essay submissions can be sent with a photo image. Images must be credited appropriately and free to be reproduced.

Application

The essays will be evaluated jointly by a jury consisting of members of the SDG Lab and Rethinking Economics. Deadline for essay submissions is on March 6, 2024.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Beyond GDP .

Jude Ogar is an educator and youth development practitioner with years of experience working in the education and youth development space. He is passionate about the development of youth in Africa.

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Essay Winners 2020/21

Economic futures competition winners 2020/21.

The 2020 Economic Futures Essay Competition was open to all Scottish students registered at a Scottish University studying Economics or an economics related subject.

Students were invited to write an essay on an Economics topic related to COVID-19.  The competition was fierce and we had almost 100 entries, all of a very high standard.  From the essays submitted, 20 were selected for progress to round 2.  Following further assessment by the panel, 10 were forwarded to our two judges Libby Brooks and Alf Young for a final round of assessment.  The judges picked their top 4 and with the standard being so high, it was decided to award runner up prizes for the remaining 6 essays.  Congratulations to all of our winners!

We would like to extend out thanks to everyone involved, the competition entrants, the review panel and our judges. 

Listed below are our top 10 essays, we hope you enjoy reading them.  The top 4 essays will be published in the September edition of the FAI Economic Commentary .

The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Poorer: Exploring the Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis on the Widening Inequality Gap in the UK

Catherine bouchard: university of glasgow, covid-19 pandemic, its impact on air quality and possible long-run effect on environment., maciej zielinski: university of glasgow, how reliant are uk universities on tuition fees and how will they adapt in a postpandemic world, lori mccluskey: university of dundee, covid-19: will the economic impact on women set gender equality back decades, leanne wilson: glasgow caledonian university, how has the global pandemic changed uk food markets will these changes aid in a lower carbon economy, julia robbie: university of strathclyde, a tale of two lockdowns: how covid-19 is exposing inequality in the uk, anton knoche: university of edinburgh, economic uncertainty and covid-19: the role of data in the pandemic, anubhav chowdhury: university of edinburgh, how much will lifting lockdown and easing restrictions on the public reverse the united kingdom’s economic slump, syed jarrar husssain: university of stirling, covid-19 and inequality in the u.k: how has the crisis impacted income, educational and gender inequalities, and what can the government do about it, georga mcnally: heriot-watt university, what does the future hold the new reality and the economics of the post-lockdown world, magdalena jaworska: university of glasgow, essay competition archive.

Discover Economics

Young economist of the year 2024 sponsored by kpmg uk and ft schools.

The 2024 competition is now open for entries! Click here to submit your entry now, and read on below for more information. ​

Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg

- Aim - Eligibility - Entry format - What happens next? - Frequently asked questions

The Royal Economic Society Young Economist of the Year competition 2024 sponsored by KPMG UK and FT Schools aims at encouraging Year 10 – Year 13 students (in England and Wales, or equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland) to produce their own ideas in analysing contemporary economic problems facing the UK and the world.

Students can choose from a list of topics provided below. Students do not need to be studying economics to be able to enter this competition. The RES welcomes entries from any students who are interested in economic issues and would like to share original ideas or perspectives on these issues. The RES also welcomes a diverse range of contributions and insights on the competition topics.

Entry format

Your entry must: 

•    answer only 1 of these 5 questions:

Do you think the government should subsidise the purchase of electric cars?

What is the economic impact of the growing gig economy?

What are the economic arguments for and against a one off cost of living payment for all individuals?

What long term changes to the labour market might be expected post pandemic?

 Should the government tax goods that are unhealthy?

•    be in written or media format. Written would be in blog format no longer than 1,000 words. Media includes video, podcast or presentation slides. Videos and podcasts should be no longer than 5 minutes in length.

•    be an individual or group entry. Groups to be 2-5 students.

•    must not include any personally identifiable information. This needs to be entered on the competition website.

•    must not use applications such as ChatGPT or other forms of artificial intelligence (AI)

•    you must acknowledge the use of information/material from other sources. We do not require a detailed in-text referencing of your arguments, however a list of sources that you have consulted and have substantively influenced your arguments must be included at the end of your entry. If a written entry then this is not included in the word count. View the ‘ How to reference ’ video for more guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Take a look below at the recording of our webinar to find out the answers to some of your questions! If you still have anything you'd like to ask, please email [email protected] .

Is there a time limit on podcasts/videos?

Yes - podcasts and videos should be no longer than five minutes long.

Are there limitations on PowerPoints?

If your PowerPoint is recorded, and spoken over, it should be no longer than five minutes. If it is submitted as a PowerPoint alone, it should be no longer than eight slides, and have a maximum total word count of 1,000.

Do I need a transcript for my podcast/video?

No, but think about how you will submit your references - will this be spoken, or as a word document?

Do quotes contribute to the word count?

Any personal data which may be submitted in an entry will be processed by RES in accordance with any applicable data protection legislation, and RES Privacy Notice available at  https://res.org.uk/resources-library/privacy-notice/

The Financial Times has created a hub for schools and colleges.   Teachers in schools around the world with students aged 16-19 years old can  get free access to the FT here  and request individual FT accounts. Colleges in the UK can also sign up. You can  check to see  if your institution is already registered.

Schools Digest, a weekly newsletter from global education editor Andrew Jack, features student competitions, quizzes and the best of the Financial Times' expert analysis and coverage. All FT subscribers and those on the free schools programme can  subscribe here  to receive it every Monday at 7am.

Click here for more information.

Eligibility

To enter, you must be: •    in Years 10 to 13 in England or Wales, Years 11 to 14 in Northern Ireland, or S3 to S6 in Scotland (or equivalent)

•    studying in the UK

The competition is free to enter.

You do not need to be studying economics, and you can work on your entry or with up to 4 other students.

For independent school entries we promote mixed group entries with local state schools.

What happens next?

Submit your entry here .

All entries must be submitted by 23.59 (BST) on 12 July 2024.

A panel will read and mark your entry before agreeing a final shortlist of 5 entries. The 5 shortlisted entries will be announced in September 2024 ahead of an in-person final event to be held at KPMG offices in October 2024.

The in-person final will involve the 5 entries giving a 10 minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of questions from an expert panel before a winner is announced.

The winning entry will be featured in the Financial Times.

Department of Economics

Winners announced in the warwick future economist essay competition 2023.

We are excited to announce the winners of this year's Warwick Future Economist competition jointly organised by the Department of Economics at Warwick and the Warwick Economics Society . They have been selected out of 68 entries for the outstanding quality of their economics essays.

The overall winner of the competition is Harrison Sargent from Arden Academy in Solihull, whose essay explains how nudge theory can be used to increase voter participation in the next general election Link opens in a new window . Congratulations to Harrison who will receive the top cash prize of £250.

We also congratulate the following students in the joint-second place who receive £50 cash prize each:

• Jacob Jones , Arden Academy
• Eden Haycock, Heckmondwike Grammar School

The collaboration between Warwick Economics Society (with nearly 3000 student members from over a hundred different disciplines) and the Department of Economics at Warwick has been going strong for many years, as we combine our aims to widen access and increase diversity within the subject of economics. Tolu Odejide and Joel Cooper from Warwick Economics Society and final year students on the BSc in Economics degree, commented about the competition:

Tolu: "We were really impressed with the efforts participants had put in. I think it's really important for students to get excited about what economics can offer them." Joel: "It's the little things like this that can make a massive difference to these young people. To engage seriously with the discipline, give themselves the opportunity to be creative with their ideas, can provide the foundations for future studies. Providing opportunities like this continues to be essential to raising the profile of economics in all schools and among all under-represented groups within this field."

Warwick Future Economist Competition was set up in order to raise the awareness of economics as a subject that is concerned with understanding the major global problems of our time, such as inequality, globalisation, healthcare, climate change and many more. The topics of the essay competition had been selected from the three key areas of economics: macroeconomics, behavioural economics, and environmental economics, and challenged the young students to write how economics can help understand better the cost-of-living crisis, voter participation in a general election and the climate crisis.

Chris Mason, Acting Head of Economics & Business and EQP Coordinator at Arden Academy in Knowle, Solihull, said:

"We are delighted that two Arden Academy students have been recognised for their hard work and achievement in placing first and second in the Warwick Future Economist competition. It's clear that, given the choice of questions, the competition enables young, budding economists the opportunity to stretch themselves beyond that of their A level specification. "As part of my role as a class teacher of economics, I seek to enlighten students, so that they can see how economics applies to their everyday life, and what is happening in the world around them. I am passionate about making the economics curriculum accessible to all - if we can lift the understanding of economics across all demographics, the society in turn will benefit."

Dr Lory Barile, Associate Professor and Widening Participation Lead in the Department said:

"It was exciting to work with Warwick Economics Society on this competition and see high participation and good quality of work from young students. We hope that some of them will be pursuing further academic study to become economists and we wish them all the best in pursuing their dreams. We will continue to work with student societies on similar initiatives to increase the awareness of what economics is and what economists do."

Congratulations to the winners from all of us in the Department of Economics and the Warwick Economics Society.

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The Nottingham-World Bank Economics Essay Competition

Winning article.

• The Nottingham-World Bank Economics Essay Competition 2021 asked, “What would be the economic consequences for Malaysia if technology replaces 50% of current jobs in the country? Who would benefit, and who would lose? Would we be better off ultimately?”
• The Competition is open to all pre-university in Malaysia.
• Published below is the Grand Prize written by Gwendolyn Chan Hui Pei from SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching.

Technology: Killer or Saviour? By Gwendolyn Chan Hui Pei, SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching

Kiva robots. That’s the name of Amazon’s “holiday workers” in a warehouse located in Tracy, California. Kiva robots are like orange suitcases on wheels that makes the shelves in warehouses come to you. More than 3000 of these robots cruise Amazon’s warehouse floors in California, helping employees complete millions of orders. Before Kiva robots, Amazon workers had to comb through warehouse aisles just to find certain products to complete shipments. Now, workers just stay on platforms while the robots bring the shelves with the items directly to them. These 320-pound robots can lift up to more than 2 times their weight, has motion sensors to detect objects in their way and can travel at 3-4 miles per hour. The robot’s small footprint allows it to fit up to 50% more inventory in the warehouses while simultaneously increasing efficiency up to 20%, filling orders in 15 instead of 90 minutes. Many worry about the jobs taken away from them by these robots, however this was not Amazon’s intention. But still, can we deny the number of workers these robots have replaced?

Applied technology can be evidently traced back to as early as the pre-16th century. In ancient Greece and Rome, many free workers became jobless due to simple ancient Greek technology in that period such as gears, screws, rotaries and mills. To overcome this, leaders in that era launched many public works such as infrastructure projects and recreational projects financed by the government to create jobs for the people. Some rulers go to the extent of refusing or banning new inventions and innovations to save labour costs. Emperor Vespasian, a Roman emperor rejected a new method of cost-effective transportation of heavy merchandise saying: "You must allow my poor hauliers to earn their bread." In the medieval and renaissance period, European authorities often sided with “guilds” or the majority of the working population and proceeded to refuse or ban new technologies. The constant dilemma of whether to adopt new technology can be seen in the 16th-18th century in Great Britain. The effect of innovation on employment became a concern which can be evidently seen when Queen Elizabeth I declined to issue a patent for a knitting machine invented by an English clergyman called William Lee on the account that it might cause the layoff of textile workers.

In the 19th century, many controversies and debates over technological unemployment arose. David Ricardo, a British political economist voiced his opinion on the implementation of technology and believing that it is often very injurious and harmful for workers when people substitute machine for human jobs. While many other economists supported his stand, a French economist named Jean Baptiste Say was the first to respond to Ricardo’s argument saying that machinery does not compete with labour, and society would be better off because of the increased productivity. Say mentioned that a new machine supersedes a portion of labour of a human worker, but does not reduce the amount of product, saying that it would be absurd to adopt it if it did. At that time, water carriers were relieved of duty due to the introduction of the hydraulic engine. Say could not deny the problem and recognised that the water carriers were still unemployed. Therefore, he believed that 3 factors would considerably alleviate the detrimental effects of unemployment:

• New machines are gradually created and still more gradually brought into use, giving those who are affected time to adjust.
• Machines cannot be created without the input of considerable human labour, which can create jobs for some workers even as machinery may put others out of work.
• The circumstances of consumers, including workers affected by the replacement with machinery, is improved by the lower prices of consumer products. [Adapted and paraphrased from Bruce Bartlett (1984) Cato Journal, vol. 4(2), pages 625-650]

How would replacing 50% of the current jobs with technology look like for Malaysia, a developing country? Firstly, the controversial problem still remains - workers in Malaysia would be susceptible to technological unemployment or tech layoff. Figure 1 below depicts Malaysian jobs at risk of automation. With AI (Artificial intelligence) on the rise, and automation replacing jobs, semi-skilled and low skilled workers are at a high risk of losing their jobs. 90% of semi- skilled jobs such as support workers and salespeople consist of Malaysians and 4 out of 5 jobs at high risk of displacement are semi-skilled jobs as compared to low-skilled jobs. Although Malaysia heavily depends on low-skill foreign labour especially in manufacturing and industrial sectors and there is a possibility of the replacement with technology reducing our reliance on it, the probability of Malaysians being put out of their jobs is higher, leaving a large figure of Malaysian workers unemployed. This is because most blue-collared jobs are highly susceptible to automation and ironically, a large portion of those positions are held by Malaysians. This might cause Malaysians to switch to lower pay jobs or not being employed at all. The sosio-economy of Malaysians would be under immense pressure. Unemployed Malaysian workers would have to suffer a lower standard of life. Occupations that are routine based and have many manual tasks are more susceptible to replacement by technology as compared to jobs that are non-routined and require high cognitive skills. At the end of the day, although our economy may be growing due to rise in productivity and lower price in the long term, the wellness of our own Malaysian citizens may be neglected in the short term.

Source: Methodology adapted from Frey and Osborne (2013) and ILO (2016) data from ILOSTAT and DOSM, author’s calculation [Adapted from The Times They Are A-Changin’: Technology, Employment, and the Malaysian Economy by Allen Ng, Khazanah Research Institute ]

Not only are the welfare of Malaysians put at risk, but also the scale of the economic equality in Malaysia will be tipped. With the replacement of workers with technology, companies that adopt labour-saving technologies will monopoly the industries. Some firms have exclusive rights to methods of manufacturing products causing smaller firms to lose out in competitiveness because of higher cost-per-unit. This will cause a great difference in terms of income among high skilled workers and technology owners versus semi-skilled and low skilled workers. A greater inequality of wages within occupations will arise as only certain workers have the skills needed for certain jobs. Skills that are hard to acquire in the technological field also can cause wages to be unequal. On top of that, income inequality may result in a higher rate of health problems and social problems.

On another note, replacement of human labour with technology will cause Malaysia to face a massive restructuring in different sectors in the economy. As higher productivity with new technology lowers prices of goods and opens new sectors to be explored, new labour demand will be created in certain sectors. The demand for jobs will switch from manufacturing sectors to services in the future, just like how the demand for jobs switched from agricultural sectors to manufacturing sectors in the late 90s in Malaysia. The chart below depicts the change in share of jobs by sector, recording the construction with the highest share and the manufacturing sector a negative figure. An increasing proportion of jobs require at least a college level certificate if not advanced degrees. This proves the need for Malaysians to upgrade their skill levels to be qualified and to keep up with the times.

Figure 2: Change in share of jobs by sector

Source: ONET, BLS, EIU, HIS, Oxford Economics, McKinsey Global Institute analysis [Adapted from Automation and adaptability: How Malaysia can navigate the future of work (2020) ]

In conjunction with creating new demand in the labour force across different sectors in Malaysia, the substitution of jobs with technology can possibly add more value to occupations with the human element, making jobs that require human interaction more valuable. For example, when Automated Teller Machines were first created to automate simple tasks such as simple transactions and deposits, the remaining tasks that cannot be automated became more valuable. Bank tellers became people who form personal relationships with the customers and can sell them financial services at a high margin.

On the flip side, wealth distribution becomes an uprising problem as not everyone is given a fair share even with increased productivity and lower cost. Advancement in various sectors may result in a digital divide between different regions and demographics. Urban areas may continue to advance whereas rural areas which are neglected continue to deteriorate in terms of technological advancements because of the failure of implementation of technology as a whole. Areas that have limited access lack the resources to advance in technology. This may possibly create a wider gap between regions and races socially and in terms of progress and cause an increase in poverty among different races in Malaysia.

However, we cannot deny the possibility of Malaysia flourishing with the implementation of technology. In the 1990s the Malaysian government has always put a priority in making Malaysia an industrialized country with the 7th prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad launching Wawasan 2020. Since then, many efforts have been made in increasing Malaysia’s use of technology in different sectors. Though the replacement of jobs with technology might upset the labour force and possibly obsolete the field of manual labour in certain sectors in the short term, the demand for labour force in other trades will significantly increase in the long term. Increased production would increase supply, lowering the general cost of items, increasing the national dividend thus increasing our competitiveness in the global market. With time, a new demand of labour will be created placing new, skilled workers in those fields. Economic growth as a whole can be accelerated.

Technology replacing 50% of jobs also create high income jobs or increases the wages of existing workers that are involved in the field of technology but also widen existing income inequality at the same time. According to a study by Justin Lim, Kevin Wong, Rosaida Mohd Rasep and Sonia Kumari Selvarajan (2018), wages per worker in the ICT industry has risen proportionately from RM38,274 per annum to RM53097 per annum in 2015 whereas wages of workers in the non-ICT industry only rose by RM6150 in the course of 5 years. Because workers in the ICT industry comprise of a small share of the total labour force and small employment growth, the wage disparity between non-ICT workers and ICT workers has been widening and would likely continue to widen even more over time.

Figure 3: Wage per worker of ICT vs non-ICT Industry

Source: DOSM ICT Satellite Account, GDP by Income Approach, authors calculations [Adapted from Wage premiums in the digital economy: Evidence from Malaysia (2018) ]

With new technology being constructed, Malaysia can explore the possibility of taxing new technology or “robot taxes”. According to The Telegraph, Bill Gates even voiced out the opinion that robots that take away jobs from humans should be taxed, which can make up for income taxes from workers that lost jobs. This could slow down the speed of automation and its negative effects on the labour force. In August 2017, South Korea became the first to introduce the world’s first tax on robots by cutting tax incentives for investments to boost productivity. If 50% of jobs were to be replaced, taxes on technology could increase the country’s income and improve the citizen’s standard of life by giving back to the people, increasing economic development through new infrastructure digitally and physically.

In general, technology replacing 50% of jobs in Malaysia benefits most of the stakeholders in the long run and has the potential to generate economic wealth for Malaysia. New innovations and technology are churned out on a daily basis due to globalization. To be able to compete in the global market, Malaysia has to keep up with the times and take bold steps in adopting new technology in various sectors. Though there is a possibility of technology replacing human jobs, nothing beats the value of a human’s touch. To dampen the adverse side effects of replacing human workers with technology, policy makers need to create new alternatives in helping displaced workers readjust to new sectors and work environments. As for Malaysian citizens, we must not stand by the side lines idly, but instead hop on the wagon of change. Being active players in the labour force, we must not take the importance of education (especially in the field of technology) lightly and sharpen our sword of education thus increasing our skills. Only with technological intelligence can we as Malaysians stand out in the global market as drivers of change, standing out amongst nations that are technologically advanced.

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FCDO Next Generation Economics Competition 2024: UK Students to Tackle Economic Challenges

Posted by admin | Mar 6, 2024 | Competition , Continent , Europe , Grants | 0 |

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has launched an exciting opportunity for UK school students to delve into some of the most pressing economic issues of our time. The Next Generation Economics competition, open until June 28, 2024, invites young minds to share their insights on key economic challenges facing their generation.

The competition, organized in collaboration with the Hub for Equal Representation (HER) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), aims to inspire budding economists and foster diversity in the field. Participants are encouraged to submit their responses to one of four thought-provoking questions:

• Addressing the gender pay gap by implementing policies to increase female participation in the paid economy.
• Capitalizing on the demand for critical minerals to boost growth in material-rich developing countries.
• Mitigating the risk on food security posed by climate change and global conflict on international supply chains.
• Ensuring investment towards development by addressing the challenge of debt interest payments surpassing expenditure on health or education in many countries.

Entrants, aged 14 and above and studying in UK secondary schools or British international schools, are not required to have a background in economics. The competition offers cash prizes, with the winner receiving £500 and two runners-up receiving £250 each. Additionally, five shortlisted entrants will receive £100 each.

The winner will have the opportunity to present their essay to Adnan Khan, FCDO Chief Economist, and the top eight entrants will be offered a fully-funded visit to the FCDO and LSE in London. Furthermore, the winning and runner-up essays will be published on the GOV.UK website and shared across the Government Economic Service.

Participants are advised to format their submissions as a letter addressed to Adnan Khan, Chief Economist at FCDO, within a 1,000-word limit. Entries should include clear references to evidence, although references are not counted towards the word limit. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected] or posted to the provided address if email access is not available.

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of FCDO economic advisors based on creativity, economic concepts, use of evidence, and clarity of writing. Tips for writing an outstanding entry include telling a compelling narrative, incorporating economic analysis and policy solutions, utilizing real-world examples, and providing critical evaluations of proposed policies.

For those seeking inspiration, winning letters from previous competitions are available for reference. For any queries regarding the competition, interested individuals can reach out to [email protected] .

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Harvard International Economics Essay Contest (HIEEC)

• Last modified 2023-12-01
• Published on 2021-05-14

Competition Details

Introduction : The Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA) is organizing its flagship Harvard International Economics Essay Contest with the collaboration of the Harvard College Economics Review. We jointly organize the Essay competition with HUEA, and we also publish the top three essays in our online publications. HIEEC provides students the opportunity to demonstrate an accomplished level of writing and understanding of economic theory. Through the contest, students hone their academic and professional skills and exhibit their knowledge.

2023-2024 Harvard International Economics Essay Contest Topic:

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to affect growth, inequality, productivity, innovation, and employment. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, in particular, has greatly increased public awareness about the significance of AI and its implications for the future. What impact will the development of AI have on economic inequality, the composition of the workforce, and economic output as a whole? How can nations prepare for the micro and macroeconomic changes brought about by AI?

Measuring national and global economic activity allows us to understand how economies change in size and structure—how they grow and contract. In addition to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), government budgets, and the money supply, alternatives like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gross National Income (GNI) are used to assess economic progress. What are the advantages of our current economic indices, including GDP, HDI, GNI, government budgets, and the money supply, and in what areas are they lacking? Which of these indices do you find most helpful, and how can we enhance or combine them to improve our understanding of economic measurement?

Proponents of income redistribution support the idea that redistribution policies will increase economic stability and give more opportunities to the less wealthy. Others, however, are more skeptical and believe it could have negative consequences for economic growth. Current methods of redistribution include taxation, welfare, public services, and other monetary policies. What strategies for income redistribution should the U.S. adopt from other countries? What economic impacts could a wealth tax or super millionaire tax have? What type of redistribution is most effective and feasible? What would be the impacts of the U.S. enacting universal basic income? Discuss the implications of any of these issues and feel free to expand on other areas of economic redistribution.

As the United States weighs the impacts of China’s rise to global prominence, economics and national security have become increasingly intertwined. As a result, the United States government has imposed both tariffs and investment restrictions on China to limit the nation’s access to both US markets and intellectual property (specifically in sensitive industries such as semiconductors). What are the economic implications of these policies for United States firms, consumers, and workers? Discuss the most important perspectives of the US-China trade war and provide suggestions on how both countries can manage the prospect of a changing economic order.

Contest Rule: The word limit of 1500 must be strictly adhered to. Any words past the limit will be truncated. This limit excludes references, footnotes, titles, headers, and footers.

Competition Website : For more information about the competition, click here .

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Young Economist of the Year competition sponsored by KPMG

The 2024 Young Economist of the Year competition is held by  Discover Economics , sponsored by KPMG and the Financial Times. To find out more and enter your submission, click here .

The Young Economics of the Year Competition is our annual student-based competition, to encourage students to think about current economic issues and promote the study of economic science.

The competition aims at encouraging Year 10 – Year 13 students (in England and Wales, or equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland) to produce their own ideas in analysing contemporary economic problems facing the UK and the world.

Stay tuned to find out more about the 2024 competition, and sign up to the Discover Economics newsletter here !

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Future Economists Essay Competition

​​​​about the competition.

The Future Economists Essay Competition was open to anyone aged 14 to 18 interested in economics. The 2024 competition is now closed, but it is expected to be re-run next year.

The judging panel will mark the submissions over March and April and announce the winner and runners up in May, along with next steps.

In you have any questions, you can get in touch by emailing [email protected]

The free competition aims to inspire Jersey's next generation of economists by inviting them to write about the big economic challenges Jersey is facing and the world economy.

You don't need to be studying economics to enter the competition, but  you must have the right to work in Jersey.

The Colin Powell Award​

The author of the winning essay will be the first recipient of The Colin Powell Award, which has been established in memory of Jersey's first Chief Economist, Colin Powell.

Colin Powell on Wikipedia The winning essay will also be published in the first annual publication of the Government of Jersey's economic report, and the essays of t wo runners-up will also be published.

Government internship

In addition to receiving the Colin Powell Award and having their essay published, the winner will be offered a six-week paid internship in the Government of Jersey’s Economics Unit, subject to age and employment eligibility, and child employment law​ .

This competition is separate from the  Government of Jersey Internship Programme  and you can apply for both.

Subjects for your essay and format

Your essay must be maximum 1,000 words and answer one of the following questions:

​The UK Dasgupta Review of Economics and Biodiversity states that ‘Our unsustain​able engagement with nature is endangering the prosperity of current and future generations’.

What economic policies could Jersey introduce to protect and restore the natural environment?

The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review on GOV.UK​ ​

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that global inflation increased to 8.8% in 2022, driven by rising food and energy prices.

What does economic theory tell us about what actions and initiatives the Government of Jersey might introduce to deal with the consequences of high inflation and cost of living?

Small businesses are a driver of innovation and economic growth. What does economic theory and evidence tell us about the role of small businesses in driving innovation and economic growth, and, the factors, relevant to Jersey, that would enable small businesses to grow and flourish?

Essay format

​Your essay must:

• ​clearly reference any evidence or data you include. Any reference style is accepted and references are not included in the word count
• not include any personally identifiable information. This should be in the covering email
• be your original work. Essays will be put through a plagiarism checker

You can include graphs and graphics but they are not essential.

You can ask an economics teacher for advice but they can't give feedback on your final essay.

Find advice on writing like an economist on GOV.UK .

The essay format follows similar competitions in the UK such as the  FCDO​ Next Generation Economics 2023 competition on GOV.UK .

Useful resource​s

Check out the following information to help you write your essay.

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Judging panel and criteria

The judging panel is:

• Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel
• Chair of Jersey's Fiscal Policy Panel, Dame Kate Barker
• Government of Jersey Chief Economic Advisor, Thomas Holvey

The panel will look for:

• creativity. Think about these questions with an open mind and present your own ideas and solutions
• economic understanding. Make use of economic theory where relevant to support your arguments or ideas
• evidence. Use trusted evidence to support your arguments
• clear and concise writing. Structure your argument carefully to make every word count

​The winner and runners-​up will be notified by email. Their essays and names will be published on this page.​

We will collect:

• ​your name (to identify the authors of the essay. The winning author, and any others published, will be named, unless you choose to remain anonymous. Your name will not be stored or processed for any further purposes. By entering this competition, you are consenting to this data being collected and used in this way.)
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• your email address (which will be stored and used to communicate relevant information about the competition, for instance any helpful resources, the winning essays, how to stay in contact with us going forward. Your email will not be used for any other purposes. Your email will not be stored past the date at which the winners are announced unless you wish to be kept on a mailing list for future communications from the team.)

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Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?  

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

LSESU Economics Society

DEADLINE PASSED: 2022 LSESU Economics Essay Competition

Thank you for searching for our Economics Essay Competition; this page is from last year, and the deadline has passed. We will be announcing soon the 2023 Essay Competition. Please do not email asking for updates as the competition for 2023 is still under development. Feel free to follow @lsesueconsoc on Instagram for the most frequent updates; otherwise, please wait until our 2023 Essay Competition is posted.

Thank you for your patience.

Deadline extension to 15th August 2022!

The London School of Economics Students’ Union Economics Society is honoured to collaborate once again with the Centre for Economic Performance, one of the leading economic research centres in Europe, to launch the 2022 Essay Competition. The essay competition will encourage pre-tertiary students to think critically on current social issues such as economic assimilation, diversity in the economics profession, and to explore important intellectual debates, such as the distribution of the burden of environmental policies.

Eligibility

Entrants should be:

●      in the final two years of secondary school,

●      starting sixth form (or an equivalent institution) this year,

●      in sixth form (or an equivalent institution), or

●      starting university this year.

Full-time national servicemen who have completed their pre-tertiary education are also eligible.

This competition is open to students of any nationality and studying in any country .

Submit My Essay Now

In your essay, please answer one of the six questions below:

1. How can the lack of gender balance in Economics be explained? Does COVID-19 represent another set-back for efforts to achieve gender parity in the subject?

2. African nations will be left poorer and more economically vulnerable as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

3. Explain the economics behind Europe’s dependence on Russian Energy. How can policymakers reduce the impact of the transition away from these sources of energy?

4. Higher inflation is the inevitable consequence of the large fiscal packages and monetary accommodations introduced by Western Governments over the last few years. Do you agree?

5. What economic theories from the 19th century are most relevant to 21st century problems?

6. How significant is a country’s geographic location in determining its long-term development?

The best 3 essays on each topic will receive an Award Certificate both in print and electronically from the LSE Economics Society

The best entry to Question 1 – (For LSE Offer Holders Only)

Signed Certificate and Book by Professor Nava Ashraf, Director of Research of the Marshall lnstitute.

The best entry to Question 2:

Signed Certificate and Book by Sir Christopher Pissarides, the Regius Professor of Economics.

The best entry to Question 3:

Signed Certificate and Book by Professor Silvana Tenreyro, Professor of Economics and External Member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Bank of England.

The best entry to Question 4:

Signed Certificate and Book by Professor Swati Dhingra, Associate Professor of Economics and External Member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Bank of England.

The best entry to Question 5:

Signed Certificate and Book by Professor Oriana Bandiera, Professor of Economics.

The best entry to Question 6 – CEP Prize.

Signed Certificate and Book by Professor Aghion, Professor of Economics.

Terms and Conditions

• The submission deadline is 15 August 2022 , 23:59 GMT+1.
• There will be one winner for every question.
• Your entry must be in English and at 1,500 words maximum . However, titles, titles of charts, footnotes, citations or references are not included in the word count.
• Submit your entry as a PDF , in size 12, font Times New Roman, double-spaced.
• Name your file exactly as follows: Given Name_Surname_Question Answered (e.g. Adam_Smith_Question 1).
• Each person is allowed to submit only one entry. If you submit more than one entry, only your latest entry submitted before the deadline will be processed.
• Co-authorship is not allowed.
• All work must be your original content and must have been produced solely for this competition. If you refer to quotations or ideas by another author, please cite their work in your entry. We accept APA, Harvard, Chicago, MLA, and any other common citation method.
• Results will be announced by 6 September 2022 .
• Enquiries on the LSE SU Economics Essay Competition should be sent to [email protected] .
• Entries not submitted in accordance with these terms, or entries that are incomplete or illegible (as determined in our sole discretion) will not be eligible.
• The decision of the judging panel is final, and at its sole discretion. No correspondence or discussion will be entered into by us in relation to that decision.
• The winners will be notified (by email, post or phone, using contact details provided with the entry)
• Once you have submitted your essay, you are happy for us to contact you about your submission
• We will make all reasonable efforts to contact the winners. If any winner cannot be contacted or is not available, or has not claimed their prize within 10 days of the announcement date, the LSE Economics Society reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant selected from the correct entries that were received before the closing date
• We are not liable for any damage, loss or disappointment suffered by you taking part or not being able to take part in this competition, or from being unable to claim your prize
• In the event of unforeseen circumstances, we may alter, amend or foreclose the competition without prior notice. We reserve the right to change these terms at any time

**The LSE SU Economics Society reserves the right, at its discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of the terms and conditions of the LSE SU Economics Essay Competition.

General Guidelines and Advice

The questions are open to interpretation. We do not have an ‘ideal’ set of arguments or structures that your essay must check. The best essays will be ones that are creative and perceptive in the way they deal with the subject matter. We look for original ideas, clarity of expression, effective communication of ideas and well-substantiated arguments.

We encourage the use of charts, graphs, and other forms of data visualisation, as well as material or concepts that go beyond what you have studied in class. If you do so, please remember to cite! Note that the use of overly complex material without justification or clear sense will not be beneficial.

We look forward to receiving your entries, and we wish you the best of luck!

The LSESU Economics Society Executive Committee (2022/23)

Download the promotional flyer to encourage your students/pupils to enter!

Follow the LSESU Economics Society on social media for future announcements!

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2023 Essay Award for Young Economists (WTO)

Deadline: 2 June 2023

The WTO has issued a call for young economists to submit papers for the 2023 Essay Award for Young Economists. The aim of the award is to promote high-quality research on trade policy and international trade cooperation and to reinforce the relationship between the WTO and the academic community. Essays must be submitted by 2 June 2023.

The annual WTO Essay Award for Young Economists was established in 2009. The award carries a prize of CHF 5,000. In the case of a co-authored paper, the prize will be equally divided among the authors.

Papers must address issues related to trade policy and international trade cooperation.  The author(s) of the paper must possess or be engaged in the completion of a PhD degree and, if over 30 years of age, be no more than two years past a PhD defense. In the case of co-authored papers, this requirement shall apply to all authors. In addition, to be considered for the award, essays cannot exceed 15,000 words.

The winning paper will be officially announced at the annual meeting of the  European Trade Study Group  (ETSG), the largest conference specializing in international trade. The award ceremony will take place on 14-16 September 2023 at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. The winning author will receive funding to attend the meeting.

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• More news on the WTO Essay Awards for Young Economists
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• More UN Competitions and Contests.

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Published: June 8, 2020

FAI Publications

Economic Futures Student Essay Competition launched…

We are delighted to announce our first student essay competition as part of the Economic Futures initiative.

The 2020 Economic Futures Essay Competition ( Economic Futures ) is open to all students registered at a Scottish University studying Economics or a related subject.

We’re looking for essays of under 1,500 words. Your essay should be original – i.e. yours! – and address a question related to the economics of COVID-19.

Stuck for what to write about? The topic is up to you, but possible ideas include:

• Is a basic income a viable option for a post COVID-19 economy?
• Will COVID-19 accelerate or decelerate the transition to a low carbon economy?
• Has globalisation helped or hindered the response to the pandemic?

As some inspiration, there’s a great new resource where you can learn about the economics of COVID-19 called the Economics Observatory (a collaboration of university researchers across the UK).

We are delighted that joining the Fraser team in evaluating the essays will be journalists Libby Brooks and Alf Young.

The writer of the winning essay will receive a prize of £1,000, with £750 for the author of the second place essay, £500 for the third placed essay, and £250 for the fourth placed essay.

If you are a prize winner you may also see your essay published on the Fraser of Allander website.

Entries to be submitted via the link on the Economics Futures web page: Economic Futures by the 23:59 3rd July 2020.

All enquiries can be directed to: [email protected]

Fraser of Allander Institute

The Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) is a leading economy research institute based in the Department of Economics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

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Guide to the june 2024 amendments to the competition act.

June 25, 2024

Important amendments to the Competition Act became law on June 20, 2024, following Royal Assent of Bill C- 59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 . The Government of Canada has made these changes as a part of its modernization of Canada’s competition regime.

This guide provides an overview of the most important changes.

The guide is not a legal document and does not replace legal advice. The Competition Bureau will be reviewing and updating its enforcement guidance to ensure transparency and predictability for the business and legal communities.

On this page:

More effective merger control, stronger powers to address anti-competitive agreements, enhanced refusal to deal provision.

• Improvements to the deceptive marketing provisions

Expanded private access to the Competition Tribunal

Other changes.

Effective merger control is essential for Canadians to receive the benefits of a competitive marketplace. Anti-competitive mergers can lead to real harm in the economy, including higher prices, fewer choices, and lower levels of innovation.

The Competition Act includes provisions to address anti-competitive mergers . While the Competition Bureau can review any merger in Canada, the Bureau must be notified in advance of mergers that exceed certain financial thresholds. This allows the Bureau to conduct a review and, if necessary, challenge a merger before the Competition Tribunal or obtain remedies prior to the transaction closing.

The amendments to the Competition Act make important changes that allow the Competition Bureau to address anti-competitive mergers more effectively. This includes:

• Merging parties may seek to rebut this presumption if there is sufficient evidence that the merger will not substantially prevent or lessen competition.

When does the new presumption apply for mergers?

Under the changes to the Competition Act , a merger is presumed to be anti-competitive if it significantly increases concentration or market share.

• Concentration is measured with a concentration index , which is defined as the sum of the squares of the market shares in the relevant market. This is also known as the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index .

This presumption applies if, in any relevant market:

• the concentration index after the merger increases or is likely to increase by more than 100; and
• the concentration index after the merger is or is likely to be more than 1,800, or
• the combined market share of the parties to the merger or proposed merger is or is likely to be more than 30%.

The specific thresholds for this presumption can be updated through regulations.

• Previously, merger remedies only had to lessen the competitive harm caused by the merger so that it was not substantial.
• Clarifying that the Competition Tribunal can consider competitive harm in labour markets, as well as the risk of coordination between competitors, when deciding whether a merger or a part of a merger should be allowed.
• As an example, a company’s sales into Canada now count towards the transaction-size threshold for notification purposes.
• Extending from one year to three years the period the Competition Bureau has to challenge a merger for which it was not notified.
• The changes temporarily pause mergers when there is a pending application for an injunction before the Competition Tribunal.
• Previously, parties could close a merger before the Competition Tribunal was able to issue a decision on an injunction application.

Other recent amendments to the Competition Act have removed the efficiencies defence for anti-competitive mergers, and expanded the list of factors that the Competition Tribunal could consider to decide whether a merger will harm competition.

The Competition Act contains both criminal and civil provisions dealing with anti-competitive agreements between businesses. The amendments significantly strengthen the civil provision which prevents companies from entering into agreements that substantially prevent or lessen competition.

Specifically, the changes:

• Previously, the Competition Bureau could only challenge existing or proposed agreements that harmed competition in the present or were likely to in the future.
• Allow the Competition Tribunal to impose monetary penalties and order parties to an anti-competitive agreement to take actions necessary to restore competition.
• Previously, only the Competition Bureau had the authority to challenge anti-competitive agreements under the civil provision.

In most cases, businesses have the right to decide who they do business with. However, the Competition Act prohibits a business from refusing to deal with another business if that refusal harms competition and meets other conditions.

The changes:

• Previously, the provision only applied to extreme cases where a refusal was substantially affecting the entirety of the business that was refused.
• This change will help independent firms that provide repair services get access to the information and parts they need to repair products.

Improvements to the deceptive marketing practices provisions

Under the Competition Act , it is illegal to advertise or market something in a way that is false or misleading .

The changes strengthen the Competition Bureau’s ability to act against bogus discount claims and drip pricing by:

• Requiring that businesses be able to establish that their discount claims are genuine.
• Previously, some firms had interpreted the Competition Act as allowing them to pass their own business taxes and regulatory compliance costs onto consumers as mandatory hidden fees.

The changes also tackle unsupported environmental claims, commonly known as greenwashing, by:

• Requiring that claims about the environmental benefits of a product be supported by adequate and proper testing.
• Requiring that claims about the environmental benefits of a business or business activity be based on adequate and proper substantiation in accordance with an internationally recognized methodology.
• The Bureau is assessing the impact of these requirements and expects to provide guidance, in due course, that will offer transparency and predictability for the business and the legal communities in the enforcement of the law.

Under the Competition Act , private parties can apply directly to the Competition Tribunal to challenge certain types of anti-competitive conduct.

• Previously, private access was limited to provisions involving refusal to deal, price maintenance, exclusive dealing, tied selling and market restriction, and abuse of dominance.
• Previously, in most cases, only businesses whose entire operations were directly and significantly impacted by the alleged anti-competitive conduct were permitted to apply directly to the Competition Tribunal.
• Allow the Competition Tribunal to order those who contravene the Competition Act to make monetary payments to persons affected by the anti-competitive conduct.

These changes will come into force on June 20, 2025.

• Civil mechanism for enforcing consent agreements: Most civil cases under the Competition Act are resolved through a negotiated consent agreements that set out what companies agree to do to resolve concerns. The amendments provide the Competition Bureau with a new tool to enforce compliance with these agreements, including the option for the Competition Tribunal to impose administrative monetary penalties if parties don’t meet their commitments. This will help ensure that businesses follow through on the terms of their consent agreements.
• Reprisal actions: The amendments prohibit anyone from penalizing, harassing or disadvantaging another person based on that person’s communication or cooperation under the Competition Act . This provides an additional layer of protection for whistleblowers, complainants, industry participants and others that come forward and provide assistance under the Competition Act .
• Cost awards: The amendments limit the circumstances where the Competition Bureau would be required to pay costs following a case at the Competition Tribunal. This change reduces the chilling effect that potential cost awards can have on public interest enforcement.
• Environmental collaboration certificates: Businesses considering collaborating with one another to protect the environment can seek a certificate from the Competition Bureau confirming that the Competition Act ’s conspiracy, bid-rigging and civil agreement provisions will not apply to the collaboration. The Bureau can grant a certificate if it is satisfied that the agreement is for the purpose of protecting the environment and that it will not harm competition.