Guidance

FCDO Next Generation Economics 20232024 competition

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) invites UK school students to write about big economic challenges by 2528 June 2023 (deadline extended).2024.

WriteThe aboutForeign, theCommonwealth biggest& economicDevelopment challengesOffice facing(FCDO) yourcoordinates generationthe byUK’s 25diplomatic Junerelationships, 2023promotes toUK enterinterests ourabroad, Nextand Generationmanages Economicsthe Competition.UK’s Youoverseas coulddevelopment win £500.budget.

WelcomeThe to Next Generation Economics,Economics competition runis managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in collaboration with the Hub for Equal Representation (H.E.R)(HER) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).(LSE).

TheEconomics competition is openimportant to studentsour whowork, arewhether interestedit inis economics.evaluating Youthe mustsustainability beof atthe leastUK’s 14international yearsclimate oldchange andcommitments studyingor atanalysing the secondarycontribution schoolof levelthe UK in thereducing UK,global orpoverty inthrough aaid Britishprogrammes. internationalEconomics school.helps Youthe doFCDO notmake needthe tomost haveof studiedeach economicspound toof taketaxpayer part.money.

The Next Generation Economics iscompetition

The yourFCDO chanceinvites UK school students to write about the biggest economic challenges facing yourtheir generation.

How theThe competition works

is open until 28 June 2024.

ToWe enter,want:

  • to submithear your responseideas toon 1one of thesethe 4biggest questions:

    1. economic challenges facing your generation. The COVID-19FCDO pandemicrepresents andUK Russia’sinterests invasionacross ofthe Ukraineworld, haveand putour pressureeconomists work on globalfinding supplyand chains.analysing Whatsolutions economicto policiesglobal couldchallenges

    2. to inspire the UKnext governmentgeneration andof internationaleconomists. partnersOur introducecompetition aims to boostdemonstrate theirhow supplyeconomics chainis resilience?a vital tool for answering important, urgent policy questions

    3. Thethe Dasguptanext Reviewgeneration of theeconomists Economicsto ofbe Biodiversityeven statesmore thatdiverse “Ourand unsustainableopen-minded engagementthan withthe naturecurrent isgeneration. endangeringWe encourage you to enter the prosperitycompetition, ofwhatever currentyour andbackground future(and generations”.however Whatmuch economicyou policiesknow couldabout governmentseconomics). aroundFind out more about diversity in the worldeconomics introduceprofession

Competition themes

To enter, submit your letter responding to protect1 andout restoreof naturalthese environments?4 questions: 

  1. The2023 InternationalNobel MonetaryPrize Fundlaureate (IMF)Claudia estimatedGoldin states that globalunequal inflationdivision increasedof tocaregiving 8.8%and inhousehold 2022,responsibilities drivenplay bya risingkey foodrole andin energygender prices.pay gap. What economic policies could governments aroundimplement to increase female participation in the worldpaid introduceeconomy?  

  2. International efforts to dealreduce withcarbon theemissions consequencesincrease ofdemand highfor inflationclean energy technology and critical minerals. How could material rich developing countries capitalize on livingthe standards?demand for critical minerals to boost growth?  

  3. TheClimate COVID-19change pandemicplus andthe risingimpact foodof andglobal energyconflict priceson haveinternational haltedsupply progresschains againsthas globalenhanced extremerisk poverty.on Infood security. What market intervention can governments across the faceworld oftake theseto challenges,mitigate whatfood economicsecurity policiesrisk?  

  4. According couldto the UKUN, government3.3 andbillion internationalpeople partnersnow introducelive toin reducecountries globalwhere extremedebt poverty?

Yourinterest entrypayments shouldare takegreater thethan formexpenditure ofon ahealth letteror toeducation. theWhat FCDOactions Chiefcould Economistgovernments andglobally shouldtake beto noensure longerdebt thandoes 1,000not words.prevent investment towards development?

ReadWriting thetips competitionand ruleslinks andto emailhelpful sources can be found in the ‘Useful information’ section.

Email your completed entry formtemplate to NextGenerationEconomics@fcdo.gov.uk by 11:59pm on 2528 June 20232024.

We (deadlinewill extendedannounce fromthe 8results Mayon 2023).this webpage in July 2024.

Who can enter  

IfTo enter, you domust notbe: 

  • at haveleast access14 toyears email,old 
  • studying postin yourthe letterUK to:

    Nextat Generationsecondary Economicsschool Competitionlevel Team
    Room(including KG.18,sixth Economicsform and Evaluationelective Directorate
    Foreign,home Commonwealtheducation &or Developmenthome Office
    Kingschooling), Charlesor Street
    London
    SW1Aat 2AHa British international school 


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

Entering the competition is free.

Prizes  

We will announce the competition results in theJuly summer2024. of 2023. There are several prizes:prizes on offer: 

  • the winner will receive a cash prize of £500£500 
  • 2 runners up will each receive £250250  
  • 5 other shortlisted entriesentrants will each receive £100 each 

TheseThe 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. The winner will present their essay to Adnan Khan, FCDO Chief Economist. They will also meet with one of the co-directors of the Hub for Equal Representation at the LSE.LSE. Fully-funded visits are only available to UK-based entrants.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, whichchosen they can choose from a shortlist selected by the FCDO Chief Economist.

How to submit your entry   

WeDo willnot publishinclude any personal information in the lettersmain part of theyour winnerletter. andThis runnersallows upus onto themark GOV.UKentries websiteanonymously and shareas themfairly acrossas possible. You should include this in the Governmentcovering Economicemail Service.instead. 

Your answerentry shouldshould: 

  • be makeformatted 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 economicartificial concepts.intelligence View(AI) 

Entries guidancecan 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 forcompetition ideasentry ontemplate relevantincludes economica conceptstable at the top with information including your name, age and tipsschool. onFill howthis in, remove it from the template and include it in your email to writeus.  

How effectively.to do this: 

This

If competitionyou hasdon’t 3have aims.an Weemail want:

account 

  • If you do not have access to hearemail, you can post your ideasletter. onSend oneit this address, and include the information from the table at the top of the biggesttemplate 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 challengesadvisors facingwill read and mark your generation.entry and agree a final shortlist of letters. The FCDO representsChief UKEconomist interestsand acrossco-directors of the world,Hub andfor ourEqual economistsRepresentation workat onthe findingLSE will review the shortlist and analysingchoose solutionsthe towinner globaland challengesrunners up.

  • toThe inspirepanel thewill nextconsider generationthese ofpoints when economists.marking Ouryour entry:

    Creativity  

    All the competition aimsquestions toaddress demonstratebig howeconomic economicschallenges isand ahave vitalmany toolpossible foranswers. answeringYou important,should urgentthink policyabout these questions with an open mind, and present, using evidence, your own ideas.

  • Economic concepts 

    theA nextgreat generationentry ofwill economistsuse economic concepts to besupport eventhe morearguments diverseit andmakes.

    Using open-mindedevidence 

    Judges thanwill thebe currentlooking generation.for Weeffective encourageuse youof toevidence. enterMake thesure competition,you whateverpresent your background,evidence clearly and howeverexplain muchthe yousource.

    Clear knowand aboutconcise economics.writing 

    You Findshould outstructure moreyour aboutargument diversitycarefully into themake economicsevery profession

Topword tipscount. fromWrite lastclearly, year’sconcisely, competitionand persuasively.

Useful information

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

These arefeatures ourwill topmake tipsyour toessay makestand yourout, letterand toare thewhat FCDOwe Chiefwill Economistlook standfor out:when marking essays:

  • tell a story: create an engaging and convincing narrativenarrative, toinclude engagean theintroduction audienceand inconclusion 

  • focus theon economic argumentsanalysis: discuss economic concepts that are relevant to the question 

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

  • use evidence: use real world evidenceexamples tosuch supportas yourrecent argumentspolicy andresponses claims, to givesupport your writing authorityarguments 

  • use visuals: use visuals, for example graphs, to help demonstrate your argumentargument 

  • evaluate: analyseprovide whycritical youranalysis of proposed policies areand thefocus moston effectivehow solutionsefficient each policy solution is

The

Useful Foreign,sources Commonwealthof &information Development 

Question Office1: Increasing (FCDO)female participation in the paid economy

Question overseas,2: andMaterial overseesrich thedeveloping UK’scountries overseascapitalising developmenton budget.demand

Question analysing3: theGovernment contributionmarket ofintervention to mitigate food security risk

GoodQuestion luck!4: WeActions lookgovernments forwardcould take to readingensure yourdebt entries.does not prevent development

Good luck! We look forward to reading your entries.

Your data 

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.

Published 19 January 2021
Last updated 526 MayFebruary 20232024 + show all updates
  1. Guidance reviewed and updated for 2024 competition.

  2. Link to 2023 competition winner and runners up added.

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

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

  5. The competition deadline has been extended to 18 February 2022.

  6. Updated with information on the new 2021 to 2022 competition.

  7. Next Generation competition deadline extended to 21 May 2021