Young Economist of the Year competition 2026
- Abigail Carroll
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Discover Economics is delighted to launch the 2026 “Young Economist of the Year” competition, sponsored by KPMG UK.
Discover Economics is a campaign aimed at increasing diversity in economics, by transforming perceptions of the subject and encouraging young people to consider studying economics in the future.
The 2025 competition saw entries from nearly 3,000 young people, submitting their thoughts on a range of real-life economics problems. The standard of last year’s competition was so high that the judges were unable to choose a single winner, and instead selected joint winners – The King’s Economists (Sen Patel, George Champion, Lucas Day, Deni Darenberg and Joseph Brannigan),and Ishwa Nawaz. Commenting on her win, Ishwa Nawaz of Dartford Grammar School for Girls, said:
“Taking part in the Young Economist of the Year competition has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic journey, and one I’ll forever value! From visiting HM Treasury and 10 Downing Street, to presenting at KPMG, this journey has reminded me why I love economics! Writing my essay allowed me to connect economics with real human stories and global challenges, and it’s been incredibly fulfilling to see my ideas engaged with by others. Getting to hear other perspectives with other finalists and meeting professionals in the field, I’ve gained a much deeper appreciation of how powerful and relevant economic thinking can be. It’s truly been an experience with immeasurable returns, and I’m so grateful for everyone who made this experience possible!”
Discover Economics is now excited to announce that the 2026 competition will open for entries on Monday 23rd March. With our sponsors at KPMG UK generously sponsoring the competition once more, this is another brilliant opportunity for young people to showcase their skills, learn more about economics, and receive feedback from experts.
On the competition, Osama Rahman, Director of the Data Science Campus at the Office for National Statistics and a Discover Economics Advisory Group member, said:
“Discover Economics are playing an important role with their mission to increase the diversity of economics students and so ultimately make the profession more diverse. Having attended the final and seeing the excellent presentations from all the finalists and their positivity and energy, I feel very positive about the future of the economics profession.”
Speaking after last year's final, Heather Sharp, partner, KPMG Economics, said:
“We are incredibly proud to support the Young Economist of the Year competition, which continues to showcase the depth of talent and creativity among the next generation of economists.
This year’s joint winners impressed the judges with their rigorous analysis, clari
ty of thought and ability to apply economic principles to some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Competitions like this play an important role in encouraging students to engage critically with the world around them through an economic lens.”
To find out more and enter your submission, click here.
For more information and the latest updates on the competition, sign up to our newsletter here!
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Discover Economics is a campaign run by the Royal Economics Society and sponsored by KPMG. It aims to broaden the appeal of economics to potential students, change their perceptions of economics and economists, and attract more students from under-represented groups.
The campaign targets 15-17 year olds, who are making choices about what post qualifications to take and what subjects to study at university or through an apprenticeship. By transforming the perceptions of economics among students, particularly those attending schools which don't provide it as a subject, the campaign aims to raise the voices of a more diverse set of economists.
KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates across the UK with approximately 17,000 partners and staff. The UK firm recorded a revenue of £2.99 billion in the year ended 30 September 2024.
KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Legal, Tax and Advisory services. It operates in 143 countries and territories with more than 275,000 partners and employees working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.