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 yourresponseideastoon1one ofthesethe4biggestquestions:economic challenges facing your generation. The
COVID-19FCDOpandemicrepresentsandUKRussia’sinterestsinvasionacrossoftheUkraineworld,haveandputourpressureeconomists work onglobalfindingsupplyandchains.analysingWhatsolutionseconomictopoliciesglobalcouldchallenges-
to inspire the
UKnextgovernmentgenerationandofinternationaleconomists.partnersOurintroducecompetition aims toboostdemonstratetheirhowsupplyeconomicschainisresilience?a vital tool for answering important, urgent policy questions -
ThetheDasguptanextReviewgeneration oftheeconomistsEconomicstoofbeBiodiversityevenstatesmorethatdiverse“Ourandunsustainableopen-mindedengagementthanwiththenaturecurrentisgeneration.endangeringWe encourage you to enter theprosperitycompetition,ofwhatevercurrentyourandbackgroundfuture(andgenerations”.howeverWhatmucheconomicyoupoliciesknowcouldaboutgovernmentseconomics).aroundFind out more about diversity in theworldeconomicsintroduceprofession
Competition themes
To enter, submit your letter responding to protect1 andout restoreof naturalthese environments?4 questions:
-
The2023InternationalNobelMonetaryPrizeFundlaureate(IMF)ClaudiaestimatedGoldin states thatglobalunequalinflationdivisionincreasedoftocaregiving8.8%andinhousehold2022,responsibilitiesdrivenplaybyarisingkeyfoodroleandinenergygenderprices.pay gap. Whateconomicaroundimplement to increase female participation in theworldpaidintroduceeconomy? -
International efforts to
dealreducewithcarbontheemissionsconsequencesincreaseofdemandhighforinflationclean energy technology and critical minerals. How could material rich developing countries capitalize onlivingthestandards?demand for critical minerals to boost growth? -
TheClimateCOVID-19changepandemicplusandtherisingimpactfoodofandglobalenergyconflictpricesonhaveinternationalhaltedsupplyprogresschainsagainsthasglobalenhancedextremeriskpoverty.onInfood security. What market intervention can governments across thefaceworldoftakethesetochallenges,mitigatewhatfoodeconomicsecuritypoliciesrisk? -
According
couldto theUKUN,government3.3andbillioninternationalpeoplepartnersnowintroducelivetoinreducecountriesglobalwhereextremedebtpoverty?
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
haveleastaccess14toyearsemail,old - studying
postinyourtheletterUKto:NextatGenerationsecondaryEconomicsschoolCompetitionlevelTeamRoom(includingKG.18,sixthEconomicsform andEvaluationelectiveDirectorateForeign,homeCommonwealtheducation&orDevelopmenthomeOfficeKingschooling),CharlesorStreetLondonSW1Aat2AHa British international schoolYou 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
otherentriesentrants willeach
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
economicartificialconcepts.intelligenceView(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:
Watch1. Fill in the video:entry FCDOtemplate
2. NextSelect Generationand Economicscut Competitioncompleted template
3. Create email
4. Paste completed template into to email
5. Attach entry and email it to NextGenerationEconomics@fcdo.gov.uk
Aims
Download of the competitionentry template
Download of the competitionentry template
This
If competitionyou hasdon’t 3have aims.an Weemail want:account
If you do not have access to
hearemail, you can post yourideasletter.onSendoneit this address, and include the information from the table at the top of thebiggesttemplate 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
challengesadvisorsfacingwill read and mark yourgeneration.entry and agree a final shortlist of letters. The FCDOrepresentsChiefUKEconomistinterestsandacrossco-directors of theworld,HubandforourEqualeconomistsRepresentationworkatonthefindingLSE will review the shortlist andanalysingchoosesolutionsthetowinnerglobalandchallengesrunners up.toTheinspirepanelthewillnextconsidergenerationtheseofpoints wheneconomists.markingOuryour entry:Creativity
All the competition
aimsquestionstoaddressdemonstratebighoweconomiceconomicschallengesisandahavevitalmanytoolpossibleforanswers.answeringYouimportant,shouldurgentthinkpolicyabout these questions with an open mind, and present, using evidence, your own ideas.Economic concepts
theAnextgreatgenerationentryofwilleconomistsuse economic concepts tobesupporteventhemoreargumentsdiverseitandmakes.Using
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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,toincludeengageantheintroductionaudienceandinconclusion -
focus
theon economicargumentsanalysis: 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
evidenceexamplestosuchsupportasyourrecentargumentspolicyandresponsesclaims,givesupport yourwritingauthorityarguments -
use visuals: use visuals, for example graphs, to help demonstrate your
argumentargument -
evaluate:
analyseprovidewhycriticalyouranalysis of proposed policiesareandthefocusmostoneffectivehowsolutionsefficient each policy solution is
TheUseful 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
-
EconomicsMineral-RichisDevelopingimportantCountries Can Drive a Net-Zero Future -
Clean energy minerals: Developing countries must add value to
ourcapitalizework,onwhetherdemand -
Critical
itmineralsiscanevaluatingpave thesustainabilityroadoftothemoreUK’srobust internationalclimatedevelopment
Question analysing3: theGovernment contributionmarket ofintervention to mitigate food security risk
-
How
ortomanagingmitigate theUK’seffectsparticipationofinclimateglobalchangeCOVID-19onvaccinefooddistributionsecurity. -
5
EconomicswayshelpstothetackleFCDOclimatemakechangetheandmostadvanceoffoodeachsecurity
GoodQuestion luck!4: WeActions lookgovernments forwardcould take to readingensure yourdebt entries.does not prevent development
-
Market Reforms Can Stabilize Debt and Foster Growth in Developing Countries
-
Swapping Debt for Climate or Nature Pledges Can Help Fund Resilience
-
How do rising U.S. interest rates affect emerging and developing economies?
Find out more about the competition:
competitionrules- 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 NextGenerationEconomics@fcdo.gov.uk
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.
Last updated
-
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
Update history
2025-02-11 10:00
Guidance updated for 2025 competition
2024-02-26 15:03
Guidance reviewed and updated for 2024 competition.
2023-05-05 11:24
The deadline for entering the competition is extended to 25 June 2023.
2023-02-22 10:12
Guidance reviewed and updated for 2023 competition. Submit your entry by 8 May 2023.