FCDO Next Generation Economics 20262025 competition

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)(FCDO) co-ordinatescoordinates 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)(HER) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).(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 invitesThe FCDO invites UK school students to write about the biggest economic challenges facing their generation. The competition is open until 2829 June 2026.2025.

We want:

• to hear your ideas on one of the biggest economic challenges facing your generation. The FCDO representsThe 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 about diversity in the economics profession

Competition Questions

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

1. TheWhile 2025free Nobeltrade Prizehas inbeen Economicsthe wasdominant partlyview awardedin tothe Philippelast Aghiondecades, andprotectionist Peterpolicies Howittare foron theirthe workrise. onWhat creativeare destructionthe –drivers whereof oldthe industries,global jobs,moves andaway technologiesfrom disappearfree totrade makeand wayhow forshould newthe ones.UK Whatrespond?

2. Daron areAcemoglu, theSimon economicJohnson implicationsand ofJames creativeA. destruction?Robinson Youwere mayawarded wishthe to2024 discussNobel itsPrize impactin onEconomics. economicTheir growth,work employment,demonstrated orthe inequality.

3. Inimportance recentof years,inclusive manyinstitutions countriesfor havea raisedcountry’s tariffsdevelopment and adoptedeconomic otherprosperity. protectionistHow measures.should What are the costsFCDO andsupport benefitsthe development of risinginclusive protectionisminstitutions forin developing countries and thewhat internationalfactors tradingmight system?the HowUK shouldwant theto UKconsider respond?when doing so?

4. Globally,Only womenone-third areof paidplaces lessin thanundergraduate men.economics Theyprogrammes in the UK are lesstaken likelyup toby work,women. andBut whenwomen theywho do,choose to study economics are more likely to workachieve ina informal2:1 and(or vulnerableabove) employment.in Howtheir canundergraduate greaterdegree participationcompared ofto womenmale instudents from the marketsame economysocio-economic improvebackground and ethnicity. Why are women disproportionally not choosing the economic outcomes?profession Whatand policieshow couldcan governmentsacademic implementinstitutions toand governments reduce the barriers to participation?

5. ClimateAccording changeto posesthe significantIMF threatsand to the globalWorld economy,Bank, especiallyfive forLow-Income developingCountries countries.are Howin candebt-distress, countrieswhile pursueanother economic28 developmentare sustainablyassessed whileas consideringhaving economica constraintshigh andrisk trade-offs?of Whichdebt policiesdistress. orWhy technologiesis coulddebt help?distress bad for a country? How can the FCDO support a nation’s development whilst reducing its debt servicing costs?

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

Who can enter  

To enter, you must be: 

• 14at toleast 1814 years of age at the time of submittingold 
• 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 can use real-life experiences and knowledge from any subject (such as geography, history, or politics) to answer the competition questions. Diverse perspectives and examples from different courses are welcome, and you do not need to havebe studiedstudying economicsor tohave takestudied part.economics. 

Entering the competition is free.

Prizes  

We will announce the competition results in the third quarter of 2026.

For2025. this year’s competition, there will be 2 prize categories: one for the best entries from Under 16 participants and one for best entries from Under 18 participants. This ensures that outstanding work from both age groups is recognised and celebrated.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to make your voice heard on the economic challenges that matter most to your generation.

There are several prizes on offer: 

• the winnerswinner ofwill eachreceive a prize categoryof will receive £350 £500 
• the2 runners up ofwill each prizereceive categorya willprize receiveof £200  £250  
• 25 shortlisted entrants fromwill eachreceive a prize categoryof will receive £100 each 

The winnerswinner will present their essaysessay to Professorto DennisAdnan NovyKhan, -FCDO GOV.UKChief Economist. 

The top 8 entrants will be offered a fully-funded visit to the FCDO andthe 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.the LSE. Fully-funded visits are only available to UK-based entrants. 

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

The top 25 entrants will each receive an economics book, chosen from a shortlist selected by the FCDO Chiefthe 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 Professorthe Foreign DennisSecretary: NovyThe Rt Hon David Lammy MP
• 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 countcount 

WeThe know many students will wish to use largeof language models (LLMs) and other artificial intelligence (AI) toolsis topermitted. assistHowever, withplease theirbe research,mindful but you should not use these tools to generate the actual content of your entries. Be aware that AI is likely to generate similar materialresponses for other entrants,entrants whenand prompted by the same questions. It is also frequently known to frequently fabricate references. Submissions will be rewarded for their novelty and creativity, and we will check references.

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 The FCDO Next Generation Economics Entry Template  (ODT, 6.7 (ODT, KB) includes6.7 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

Name

2. your document as John_Smith_U16 NGE Entry or John_Smith_U18 NGE Entry

Select and cut completed template

3. Create email

4. Paste completed template into to email

5. Attach entry and email it to to NextGenerationEconomics@fcdo.gov.uk