real world questions essay competition

Aspiring law and business students tackle real-world problems through essay competition

The University of Law has announced the winners of its Real World Questions Essay Competition aimed at aspiring legal and business minds in UK secondary education.

The overall winners were Milena Prochorovaite from Winstanley College in Wigan, and Matthew Alex from Hymers College in East Yorkshire. Alongside these winners, the South & Wales Regional winner is Adishree Bansal, the Midlands Regional winner is Dhruval Soni, Grace McGarvey is the North Regional winner and the London Regional winner was Emily Reed.

The overall winners were awarded prizes including £1000 cash, a week’s work experience with either Clyde & Co or the Co-op, a two hour session with The University of Law’s Director of Employability, and the regional winners were awarded Bose Soundlink II speakers and Lenovo MIIX two-in-one tablets.

Students in Years 10 – 13 from across the country, were asked to consider current Real World Questions faced by lawyers and business professionals today. Essays covered “How Fair is the Criminal Justice System?” and “How do Businesses adapt to change effectively?” and showed students to be inquisitive, thoughtful with detailed research skills and high ambition.

The competition was judged by a stellar line-up: Shelbey Whitehouse (Legal Counsel, Corporate Functions, the Co-op), Gill Gardner (General Counsel, Food and Ventures, the Co-op), Vicky Lowe (Legal Counsel, Food, the Co-op), Jennifer Schmidt-Petersen (Programme and Student Lead, Policing Programmes, The University of Law), John Watkins (Director of Employability, The University of Law), Zoe King (Campus Dean, University of Law) and Amanda Crutchley (Probono Coordinator, The University of Law)

For the top essays, the judges looked for opinions offered and supporting evidence, sophisticated language that can influence and persuade people, and demonstration of using a mixture of resources including those that The University of Law provided, along with their own independent research. The judges also wanted to see that the topic they had chosen genuinely interested the student, and that the essay had a strong structure, no grammatical issues and had an introduction and conclusion that followed the flow of the essay itself.

Shelbey Whitehouse, Solicitor and Legal Counsel, Corporate Functions, at Co-op said : “At Co-op, we’re always looking to give young people opportunities that they might not otherwise have, to gain insight into working life.  Taking the chance to be involved in ULaw’s Real World Competition is a very welcome recent example of this.  We’re really looking forward to having one of the winners join us for work experience”

Peter Eley, Senior Product Marketing Manager at The University of Law said: “Our Real World Questions campaign is designed to engage those interested in careers in law, business, policing and criminology, with the types of questions they will face in their future careers. Teaching at The University of Law focuses on these real-life scenarios, and our Real World Questions competition is designed to give prospective students a taste of these important learnings. We were thrilled with the number and the high quality of the entries, which showed an excellent level of engagement with the questions, and I’d like to personally congratulate the winners.”

The University of Law will be re-running this competition in 2021 and hopes to see many more students taking part.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Law

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University of Law Essay Competition – Real World Questions

The Real World Questions competition from University of Law is a competition for students at an educational institution in Years 10-13, to submit an essay in response to one of the following three questions:

• Does the world need more entrepreneurs? (Business question);
• Will stop and search protect or polarise our society? (Policing and Criminology question);
• How is Mental Health protected by the Law and is it enough? (Law question).

The Prizes for the Law Essay will be:

• £1000 cash Prize for the overall winner 
• £1000 cash Prize for the overall winner’s educational institution
• A week’s work experience with the Co-op’s legal team, and a place on an exclusive Insight Day at Clyde & Co (plus £50 per day for travel expenses if required to travel)
• Two hour session with Employability Director, John Watkins on employability
• A Windows 10 laptop

See the entry page for more details and to submit your essay.

Closing date is 18 September 2022 .

Find out more information here.

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World Historian Student Essay Competition

Congratulations to Joshua Hangartner of La Jolla Country Day School, the winner of the 2023 World Historian Student Essay Competition for his essay, "World History: A Vehicle for Understanding Ourselves."

2023 World Historian Student Essay Competition Winner: Joshua Hangartner (La Jolla Country Day School)

• The WHA is pleased to announce that Joshua Hangartner of La Jolla Country Day School (La Jolla, CA) is the winner of the 2023 World Historian Essay Competition for his outstanding essay, "World History: A Vehicle for Understanding Ourselves." Focusing on its broad and deep complexities, Mr. Hangartner ably demonstrates how World History's vast and complex scope connects us personally to the sweeping historical themes that shaped the present day and serves as a "uniquely powerful tool" that allows us to discover ourselves in an incredibly complicated world. Congratulations, Joshua!

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades  K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.  Finalist essays will be checked against AI internet components and will be automatically disqualified should stock answers be detected.

The World History Association established this $500 prize to recognize young scholars. A one-year membership in the WHA will also be included with each prize.

Each competitor will submit an essay that addresses one of the following topics and discuss how it relates to you personally and to World History:  Your view of a family story related to a historical event or your personal family cultural background, or an issue of personal relevance or specific regional history/knowledge, such as "My ancestor walked with Abraham Lincoln from Illinois to fight in the Black Hawk War of 1832." 

The committee will judge papers according to the following criteria:

• clear thesis;
• elaboration on the thesis with specific, concrete, personal example(s);
• evidence of critical-thinking, such as synthesis and evaluation, when reflecting on the essay question;
• organization and fluency; and
• overall effectiveness of the student’s ability to communicate his or her personal connection with the study of world history—in other words, how well has the student described the experience of being changed by a better understanding of world history?

To view some of our past winning essays, please click on the links below.

2023 Paper Prize Winner

2019 Paper Prize Winner

2018 Paper Prize Winner

2017 Paper Prize Winner

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Length & format.

Length:  Submissions for the  K–12  World Historian Award should be approximately 1,000 words.

Formatting:  Number all pages except for the title page. All pages are to be double-spaced. Use 12-point Times New Roman Font. Margins are to be 1 inch left and right, and top and bottom.

Submissions must be composed in Microsoft Word.

The author’s identity is to appear nowhere on the paper.

A separate, unattached page should accompany the paper, identifying the author, title of paper, home address, telephone number, e-mail address, and name of school.

Papers that do not adhere to these guidelines will be disqualified.

Entries must be emailed or postmarked by the annual deadline of 1 May.

Winning papers will be announced during the summer.

The  WHA  reserves the right to publish in the  World History Bulletin  any essay (or portion thereof) submitted to the competition. It will do so solely at its discretion, but full acknowledgment of authorship will be given. If someone’s essay is published in whole or in part, the author will receive three (3) copies of the  Bulletin.

E-mail submission

Send the following materials as separate attachments (formatted in  MS  Word) in the same e-mail, with the subject line  World Historian Student Essay :

• the paper, and
• a page with identifying information (author, title of paper, home address, telephone number, e-mail address, and name of school).

E-mail to:  Susan Smith <[email protected]> .

Postal submission

Send five copies of the paper and five copies of the page with identifying information. In the lower left hand corner on the front of the envelope write:  World Historian Student Essay.

Susan Smith Maple Grove Senior High 9800 Fernbrook Lane  N. Maple Grove,  MN  55369-9747

WORLD HISTORIAN STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION COMMITTEE:

• Susan Smith, chair
• Paul Richgruber

PAST WINNERS

• Joshua Hangartner, La Jolla Country Day School (La Jolla, CA) "World History: A Vehicle for Understanding Ourselves"
• Amanda Zhao, Pacific Ridge School (Carlsbad, CA) “History: An Ode to the Bricks of Progress”
• Akram Elkouraichi, Yonkers Middle High School (Yonkers, NY) “The Realization of Impermanence: Ephemerality in World History as a Conceptual Framework”
• Steven Chen, Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School (Vancouver, BC, Canada) “A Human Story: World History as an Optimist”
• Juliana Boerema, Cary Christian School (Cary, North Carolina) “Brilliant Painting: How the Study of World History Changes Perspective”
• Ahmad Aamir, Lahore Grammar School (Lahore, Pakistan) “Learning from History: Cooperation, Belief, Scholarship, & Words”
• Vivian Liu, International School of Beijing (Beijing, China) “History: Bread of the World”
• Vanessa Yan, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School (Bradenton, Florida) “World History: The Great Macroscope”
• Rachel Hughes, Webber Academy (Calgary, Canada), “Fostering a Universal Understanding of World History is the Key to a Brighter Tomorrow”
• Campbell Munson, The Episcopal School of Dallas, “How History Has Affected My Worldview: Economies, Migration, Causality and Disease”
• Jacob Cooper, North Oconee High School (Bogart, Georgia), “World History: The Basis for Self-Determination, Democracy, and Religion“
• Luke J. Hamilton, Sword Academy (Bridgeport, Nebraska), “The Present: Living History”
• David Kim, Wydown Middle School ( St.  Louis), “History: The Shadow of the World”
• Elizabeth Mello, Dartmouth High School (Dartmouth, Massachusetts), “Out of Many Threads, One Cloth”

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$25,000 for the best essays on global problems.

Pivotal is an essay competition for high school students with world-class judges and no entry fee.

Get notified for future events and opportunities.

Essay questions that get you closer to changing the world..

Our questions are inspired by research conducted at Oxford University's Global Priorities Institute . We are excited to be partnering with them to judge your essays.

Artificial Intelligence

We will award prizes worth a total of $25,000 for the top three entrants, along with access to the Pivotal Library for the top 50 finalists.

$15,000 — 1st place $7,000 — 2nd place $3,000 — 3rd place

$25,000 in prizes for the best essays.

of the participants will be invited to the Pivotal Circle.

Join the Pivotal Circle, a community of exceptional students.

Up to 10 books

for each finalist (top 50).

You will be able to choose 10 physical books that we'll ship to you for free from the Pivotal Library, a curated collection of books.

Pivotal is a prime opportunity for students to showcase their critical and creative thinking. I expect that it will help set up students on a trajectory to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.

We will notify you when we launch new events and opportunities.

Read our privacy policy .

Enter the Pivotal Essay Contest.

Essay Competition

 “the ideas of economists… both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood… indeed the world is ruled by little else” ,     j. m. keynes (general theory, 1936), essay competition 2023.

We received over 750 eligible submissions this year, with each one being hand-read and marked by our panellists at the University of Cambridge. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed by the quality of the responses to some of the most challenging questions in the competition’s history. We would like to thank every student that submitted an essay this year, and extend our warmest congratulations to the winners and shortlisted essays named below.

We are delighted to announce that the winner of the 2023 Marshall Society Essay Competition is David Lu of Raffles Institution, Singapore. David’s essay in response to Question 4 deftly balanced advanced economic theories with real-world data, clear explanations, and rhetorical flair, and was a pleasure to read. We look forward to publishing it in the forthcoming issue of The Dismal Scientist , the magazine of the Marshall Society, and awarding our top prize of £50.

In 2nd place is You Peng of Shenzhen College of International Education, China. Peng’s essay in response to Question 2 was theoretically advanced and well structured, and we would’ve liked to see even more real-world application. It will likewise be published and receive a finalist prize of £25.

In 3rd place is Hanyun Qian of Suzhou Foreign Language School, China. Hanyun’s essay in response to Question 5 was extremely original, insightful, and entertaining to read, and we would’ve liked to see an even tighter focus on the question set. It will likewise be published and receive a finalist prize of £25.

Our shortlisted essays, in no particular order, were as follows:

To everyone that took part in the competition, thank you for the time and care spent in preparing your essay, and all the best for your future studies. We hope you’re looking forward to the 2024 edition of the essay competition.

A reminder of the essay questions set this year is as follows:

• In what ways could Artificial Intelligence reshape the labour market? Will it usher in Keynes’ ‘age of leisure’?
• ‘Policymakers can’t exploit the Phillips curve to reduce unemployment due to the Lucas critique.’ Evaluate this statement.
• The US Federal Child Tax Credit is scheduled to revert from $2,000 to $1,000 by 2025. Is this policy a mistake?
• Tensions between the US and China have been steadily increasing. Is it in the US’ interest to decouple from China economically?
• ‘There were no meaningful long-run changes in living standards until the Industrial Revolution.’ Discuss.
• Has Economics run out of big new ideas? If so, what are the implications? If not, justify with an example.

Essay  COMPETITION

2024 global essay prize, registrations are now open all essayists must register  here  before friday 31 may, 2024.

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. Our Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum.

Entering an essay in our competition can build knowledge, and refine skills of argumentation. It also gives students the chance to have their work assessed by experts. All of our essay prizes are judged by a panel of senior academics drawn from leading universities including Oxford and Princeton, under the leadership of the Chairman of Examiners, former Cambridge philosopher, Dr Jamie Whyte.

The judges will choose their favourite essay from each of seven subject categories - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law - and then select the winner of the Grand Prize for the best entry in any subject. There is also a separate prize awarded for the best essay in the junior category, for under 15s.

Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?

Q2. Do girls have a (moral) right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys?

Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe?

Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy?

Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible?

Q3. When is compliance complicity?

Q1. What is the optimal global population?  

Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation?

Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?

Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change?

Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?

Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger?

Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?

Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state?

Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime?

Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why?

In the original version of this question we misstated a statistic. This was caused by reproducing an error that appeared in several media summaries of the study. We are grateful to one of our contestants, Xinyi Zhang, who helped us to see (with humility and courtesy) why we should take more care to check our sources. We corrected the text on 4 April. Happily, the correction does not in any way alter the thrust of the question.

Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How?

Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?

Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”?

Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm?

Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?

JUNIOR prize

Q1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing?

Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism?

Q3. Is there life after death?

Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise? 

Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this?

Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies? 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & FURTHER DETAILS

Please read the following carefully.

Entry to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2024 is open to students from any country.

Registration  

Only candidates who registered before the registration deadline of Friday, 31 May 2024 may enter this year's competition. To register, click here .  

All entries must be submitted by 11.59 pm BST on  the submission deadline: Sunday, 30 June 2024 .  Candidates must be eighteen years old, or younger, on that date. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old, or younger, on that date.)

Entry is free.

Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration). 

The filename of your pdf must be in this format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf; so, for instance, Alexander Popham would submit his answer to question 2 in the Psychology category with the following file name:

Alexander-Popham-Psychology-2.pdf

Essays with filenames which are not in this format will be rejected.

The candidate's name should NOT appear within the document itself. 

Candidates should NOT add footnotes. They may, however, add endnotes and/or a Bibliography that is clearly titled as such.

Each candidate will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee who is familiar with the candidate's written academic work. This should be a school teacher, if possible, or another responsible adult who is not a relation of the candidate. The John Locke Institute will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates.

Submissions may be made as soon as registration opens in April. We recommend that you submit your essay well in advance of th e deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.

Acceptance of your essay depends on your granting us permission to use your data for the purposes of receiving and processing your entry as well as communicating with you about the Awards Ceremony Dinner, the academic conference, and other events and programmes of the John Locke Institute and its associated entities.  

Late entries

If for any reason you miss the 30 June deadline you will have an opportunity to make a late entry, under two conditions:

a) A late entry fee of 20.00 USD must be paid by credit card within twenty-four hours of the original deadline; and

b) Your essay must be submitted  before 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.

To pay for late entry, a registrant need only log into his or her account, select the relevant option and provide the requested payment information.

Our grading system is proprietary. Essayists may be asked to discuss their entry with a member of the John Locke Institute’s faculty. We use various means to identify plagiarism, contract cheating, the use of AI and other forms of fraud . Our determinations in all such matters are final.

Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind. Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful .

Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible.

The writers of the best essays will receive a commendation and be shortlisted for a prize. Writers of shortlisted essays will be notified by 11.59 pm BST on Wednesday, 31 July. They will also be invited to London for an invitation-only academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the prize-winners will be announced. Unlike the competition itself, the academic conference and awards dinner are not free. Please be aware that n obody is required to attend either the academic conference or the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London.

All short-listed candidates, including prize-winners, will be able to download eCertificates that acknowledge their achievement. If you win First, Second or Third Prize, and you travel to London for the ceremony, you will receive a signed certificate. 

There is a prize for the best essay in each category. The prize for each winner of a subject category, and the winner of the Junior category, is a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute programme, and the essays will be published on the Institute's website. Prize-giving ceremonies will take place in London, at which winners and runners-up will be able to meet some of the judges and other faculty members of the John Locke Institute. Family, friends, and teachers are also welcome.

The candidate who submits the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, which comes with a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of our summer schools and/or visiting scholars programmes. 

The judges' decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

R egistration opens: 1 April, 2024.

Registration deadline: 31 May, 2024. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission.)

Submission deadline: 30 June, 2024.

Late entry deadline: 10 July, 2024. (Late entries are subject to a 20.00 USD charge, payable by 1 July.)

Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 2024.

Academic conference: 20 - 22 September, 2024.

Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024.

Any queries regarding the essay competition should be sent to [email protected] . Please be aware that, due to the large volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot guarantee to answer every query. In particular, regrettably, we are unable to respond to questions whose answers can be found on our website.

If you would like to receive helpful tips  from our examiners about what makes for a winning essay or reminders of upcoming key dates for the 2024  essay competition, please provide your email here to be added to our contact list. .

Thanks for subscribing!

The John Locke Institute's Global Essay Prize is acknowledged as the world's most prestigious essay competition. 

We welcome tens of thousands of submissions from ambitious students in more than 150 countries, and our examiners - including distinguished philosophers, political scientists, economists, historians, psychologists, theologians, and legal scholars - read and carefully assess every entry. 

I encourage you to register for this competition, not only for the hope of winning a prize or commendation, and not only for the chance to join the very best contestants at our academic conference and gala ceremony in London, but equally for the opportunity to engage in the serious scholarly enterprise of researching, reflecting on, writing about, and editing an answer to one of the important and provocative questions in this year's Global Essay Prize. 

We believe that the skills you will acquire in the process will make you a better thinker and a more effective advocate for the ideas that matter most to you.

I hope to see you in September!

Best wishes,

Jamie Whyte, Ph.D. (C ANTAB ) 

Chairman of Examiners

Q. I missed the registration deadline. May I still register or submit an essay?

A. No. Only candidates who registered before 31 May will be able to submit an essay. 

Q. Are footnote s, endnotes, a bibliography or references counted towards the word limit?

A. No. Only the body of the essay is counted. 

Q. Are in-text citations counted towards the word limit? ​

A. If you are using an in-text based referencing format, such as APA, your in-text citations are included in the word limit.

Q. Is it necessary to include foo tnotes or endnotes in an essay? ​

A. You  may not  include footnotes, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. You should give your sources of any factual claims you make, and you should ackn owledge any other authors on whom you rely.​

Q. I am interested in a question that seems ambiguous. How should I interpret it?

A. You may interpret a question as you deem appropriate, clarifying your interpretation if necessary. Having done so, you must answer the question as directly as possible.

Q. How strict are  the age eligibility criteria?

A. Only students whose nineteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. In the case of the Junior category, only students whose fifteenth birthday falls after 30 June 2024 will be eligible for a prize or a commendation. 

Q. May I submit more than one essay?

A. Yes, you may submit as many essays as you please in any or all categories.

Q. If I am eligible to compete in the Junior category, may I also (or instead) compete in another category?

A. Yes, you may.

Q. May I team up with someone else to write an essay?  

A. No. Each submitted essay must be entirely the work of a single individual.

Q. May I use AI, such as ChatGPT or the like, in writing my essay?

A. All essays will be checked for the use of AI. If we find that any content is generated by AI, your essay will be disqualified. We will also ask you, upon submission of your essay, whether you used AI for  any  purpose related to the writing of your essay, and if so, you will be required to provide details. In that case, if, in our judgement, you have not provided full and accurate details of your use of AI, your essay will be disqualified. 

Since any use of AI (that does not result in disqualification) can only negatively affect our assessment of your work relative to that of work that is done without using AI, your safest course of action is simply not to use it at all. If, however, you choose to use it for any purpose, we reserve the right to make relevant judgements on a case-by-case basis and we will not enter into any correspondence. 

Q. May I have someone else edit, or otherwise help me with, my essay?

A. You may of course discuss your essay with others, and it is perfectly acceptable for them to offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses in your writing or content, leaving you to address them.

However, no part of your essay may be written by anyone else. This means that you must edit your own work and that while a proofreader may point out errors, you as the essayist must be the one to correct them. 

Q. Do I have to attend the awards ceremony to win a prize? ​

A. Nobody is required to attend the prize ceremony. You can win a prize without travelling to London. But if we invite you to London it is because your essay was good enough - in the opinion of the First Round judges - to be at least a contender for First, Second or Third Prize. Normally the Second Round judges will agree that the short-listed essays are worth at least a commendation.

Q. Is there an entry fee?

A. No. There is no charge to enter our global essay competition unless you submit your essay after the normal deadline, in which case there is a fee of 20.00 USD .

Q. Can I receive a certificate for my participation in your essay competition if I wasn't shortlisted? 

A. No. Certificates are awarded only for shortlisted essays. Short-listed contestants who attend the award ceremony in London will receive a paper certificate. If you cannot travel to London, you will be able to download your eCertificate.

Q. Can I receive feedba ck on my essay? 

A. We would love to be able to give individual feedback on essays but, unfortunately, we receive too many entries to be able to comment on particular essays.

Q. The deadline for publishing the names of short-listed essayists has passed but I did not receive an email to tell me whether I was short-listed.

A. Log into your account and check "Shortlist Status" for (each of) your essay(s).

Q. Why isn't the awards ceremony in Oxford this year?

A. Last year, many shortlisted finalists who applied to join our invitation-only academic conference missed the opportunity because of capacity constraints at Oxford's largest venues. This year, the conference will be held in central London and the gala awards dinner will take place in an iconic London ballroom. 

TECHNICAL FAQ s

Q. The system will not accept my essay. I have checked the filename and it has the correct format. What should I do?  

A. You have almost certainly added a space before or after one of your names in your profile. Edit it accordingly and try to submit again.

Q. The profile page shows my birth date to be wrong by a day, even after I edit it. What should I do?

A. Ignore it. The date that you typed has been correctly input to our database. ​ ​

Q. How can I be sure that my registration for the essay competition was successful? Will I receive a confirmation email?

A. You will not receive a confirmation email. Rather, you can at any time log in to the account that you created and see that your registration details are present and correct.

TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR SUBMISSION

If you are unable to submit your essay to the John Locke Institute’s global essay competition, your problem is almost certainly one of the following.

If so, please proceed as indicated.

1) PROBLEM: I receive the ‘registrations are now closed’ message when I enter my email and verification code. SOLUTION. You did not register for the essay competition and create your account. If you think you did, you probably only provided us with your email to receive updates from us about the competition or otherwise. You may not enter the competition this year.

2) PROBLEM I do not receive a login code after I enter my email to enter my account. SOLUTION. Enter your email address again, checking that you do so correctly. If this fails, restart your browser using an incognito window; clear your cache, and try again. Wait for a few minutes for the code. If this still fails, restart your machine and try one more time. If this still fails, send an email to [email protected] with “No verification code – [your name]” in the subject line.

SUBMITTING AN ESSAY

3) PROBLEM: The filename of my essay is in the correct format but it is rejected. SOLUTION: Use “Edit Profile” to check that you did not add a space before or after either of your names. If you did, delete it. Whether you did or did not, try again to submit your essay. If submission fails again, email [email protected] with “Filename format – [your name]” in the subject line.

4) PROBLEM: When trying to view my submitted essay, a .txt file is downloaded – not the .pdf file that I submitted. SOLUTION: Delete the essay. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “File extension problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

5) PROBLEM: When I try to submit, the submission form just reloads without giving me an error message. SOLUTION. Log out of your account. Open a new browser; clear the cache; log back in, and resubmit. If resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Submission form problem – [your name]” in the subject line.

6) PROBLEM: I receive an “Unexpected Error” when trying to submit. SOLUTION. Logout of your account; log back in, and resubmit. If this resubmission fails, email [email protected] with “Unexpected error – [your name]” in thesubject line. Your email must tell us e xactly where in the submission process you received this error.

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If you have tried the relevant solution to your problem outlined above, have emailed us, and are still unable to submit before the 30 June deadline on account of any fault of the John Locke Institute or our systems, please do not worry: we will have a way to accept your essay in that case. However, if there is no fault on our side, we will not accept your essay if it is not submitted on time – whatever your reason: we will not make exceptions for IT issues for which we are not responsible.

We reserve the right to disqualify the entries of essayists who do not follow all provided instructions, including those concerning technical matters.

Summer 2024 Admissions Open Now. Sign up for upcoming live information sessions here (featuring former and current Admission Officers at Havard and UPenn).

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.

The Curious Economist

Economic news for students.

• [ May 10, 2024 ] Apple Faces Criticism Over New Ad Campaign Basic Economic Concepts
• [ April 30, 2024 ] Germany Unemployment Forecast for a Decade High Aggregate Demand and Supply
• [ April 29, 2024 ] India Set to Overtake Japan as World’s Third Largest Economy by 2025 Aggregate Demand and Supply
• [ April 17, 2024 ] UK Aiming to Snub Out Smoking For Good Economic News
• [ April 16, 2024 ] China’s Economy Surges with High-Tech Manufacturing Boost Aggregate Demand and Supply

Model 15-Markers

Unlock your potential with these IB economics model answers, designed to provide a deeper understanding of key topics and real-world examples. 

By studying these model answers, you’ll gain a solid foundation in economic concepts, learn how to structure your essays effectively, and develop critical analysis skills. As you explore the real-world examples provided, you’ll also gain an appreciation for the complexities and nuances of economic policies and their impacts on various societies. 

Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and confidence needed to succeed in your IB economics journey, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to tackle any question or challenge that comes your way. 

Click on the questions below to see a model essay!

Microeconomics

Using real-world examples, discuss the consequences of a price ceiling on stakeholders

Using real-world examples, evaluate different approaches to managing common access resources

Using real-world examples, evaluate the policies a government might adopt to respond to a market situation in which significant asymmetric information exists

Using real-world examples, evaluate the effects for stakeholders of a government imposing an indirect tax on a particular good

Using real-world examples, evaluate the view that government regulation is the most effective way to deal with negative externalities of consumption

Using real-world examples, evaluate the view that governments should always try to prevent the creation of barriers to entry in a market.

Using real-world examples, evaluate the impact of large firms having significant market power.  

Macroeconomics

Using real-world examples evaluate the claim that according to the Keynesian and monetarist models a decrease in AD will always be deflationary.

Using real-world examples evaluate the view that  economic growth  will always lead to an improvement in living standards

Using real-world examples, evaluate the effectiveness of  monetary policy  to achieve low unemployment

Global Economy

Using real-world examples, discuss the possible implications of a persistent  current account deficit

Using real-world examples, discuss the consequences of a fall in a country’s exchange rate

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Real World Questions essay competition 2021: Meet the winners

After the success of our first Real World Questions essay competition last year , we were delighted to expand the competition further in 2021. The competition was open to students from years 10-13, providing them with a chance to win £1,000 cash, a week’s work experience, a session with �IJʿ������’s Director of �IJʿ������ and a laptop. We asked students to write about three hot topics facing the world of law, policing and business.

How do businesses stay positive in uncertain times?

Will Covid-19 change the way lawyers work in the future?

Does the UK justice system protect the public?

Today we’re talking to the inspirational winners of our Real World Questions essay competition 2021 to discuss their essays and their plans for the future.

By Cara Fielder . Published 10 November 2021.

Will Covid-19 change the way lawyers work in the future? – Sabrina Barnes

I currently study at Penglais School in Aberystwyth, and I discovered the Real World Questions essay competition when my Head of Sixth Form sent out an email about it at the start of the academic year.

My law essay was focused on the question - Will Covid-19 change the way lawyers work in the future? It looks at the different ways that the pandemic may affect the future of the legal profession, including current online court developments and the limitations of virtual hearings. It also looks at what happened in the past, specifically the 1918 influenza pandemic.

I have become interested in the legal profession in recent months and am considering pursuing a law degree or becoming a solicitor. I wanted to take the opportunity to enter a law competition so that I could find out more about the subject. The question was particularly interesting because I knew it would involve looking at the fundamentals of law, as well as the potential future of my work due to the pandemic. I also entered because, even though there was not much time left to enter, I did not want to miss an excellent chance to develop my knowledge and understanding of the law at an early stage.

I have no solid vision or goal for after completing my studies so far other than to be happy in my work and help others. I think I will study either history or law at a good university and become a teacher, lawyer or journalist.

When I got the email and call to be told the news I had won, I was in total disbelief. I honestly thought I had no chance of winning, and to be credited for my essay-writing skills and gain some amazing experience means a lot to me.

I definitely do not want to spend all of my prize money on clothes or sweets. I plan to keep it in a savings account, likely for university costs.

In five years, I hope to either pursue or graduate with a university degree that I enjoy and am proud of, then work to secure myself in a fulfilling career and have enjoyable life experiences.

My advice to anyone thinking of applying for a �IJʿ������ essay competition is to go for it. You never know when you may have such a fantastic opportunity again, and it gives you a unique, thorough insight into your subject of interest, which will benefit you even if you don’t win.

How do businesses stay positive in uncertain times?- Simone Banerjee

I study at Nonsuch High School for Girls in South London. I learnt about the Real World Questions essay competition in an email from our school’s Coordinator of Careers Education.

In my essay, I wrote about maintaining productivity and momentum in unpredictable times, using the current Covid-19 pandemic as an example. Additionally, I focused on the importance of teamwork and trust when a business is faced with difficult problems.

I was motivated to apply as I wanted to develop my essay writing skills. The question grabbed my attention because I thought it was extremely relevant to the current situation, and I wanted to explore how positivity and successful adaptation affect a business.

Winning the Real World Questions essay competition means a lot to me, as it has given me confidence in my essay writing skills. I was very pleased to win as it proved that I was able to get my point across clearly.

As Christmas is coming up, I will be spending some of my prize money buying presents for my friends and family. My cat’s first birthday is also in a few weeks, so I will make sure to buy her many treats. Apart from that, I will save the rest of the money.

In five years, I hope to be at a prestigious university studying economics. By the time I am twenty, I also wish to have a clearer idea of the career I want to pursue. Hopefully, I will have gained many more skills by then, which will allow me to pursue my chosen career successfully.

My advice to anyone thinking of applying for a �IJʿ������ essay competition is to think carefully about the question and refer to past and current events to back up your statements. I would also suggest spending time on structuring your essay well so that all your main points flow one after the other, producing a coherent piece of writing that stays focused on directly answering the question. If you are thinking of applying, definitely give it a go as it is a fantastic opportunity to extend your knowledge and potentially win prizes.

Does the UK Justice System Protect the Public?’ – Charlotte Smith

My name is Charlotte Smith and I study at Tormead School. I initially came across the Real World Questions Essay competition in an email sent to me by �IJʿ������. I’d like to study law at university, so I signed up to university mailing lists for regular updates.

The subject I chose for my essay was - Does the UK Justice System Protect the Public? This is obviously an extremely broad subject, so I narrowed down the title by picking three different areas of interest to write about. Eventually, I decided on how stop and search tactics can be damaging to society, the effectiveness of prison rehabilitation and the right to a fair trial.

The title - Does the UK Justice System protect the Public? was really intriguing to me. Before entering this essay competition, I knew very little about the criminal justice system and how the law operates. I wanted to explore the flaws and biases of the criminal justice system in a way that allowed me to guide my own research, and this essay competition seemed like the perfect opportunity. I thought the title was particularly apt following Sarah Everard’s murder, and the essay allowed me to highlight some of the issues raised by this tragic case.

I am currently in the Lower Sixth, so I am focused on my A-level studies and am planning to study law at university. I am also taking an extended project qualification (EPQ), which will hopefully broaden my understanding of particular legal topics.

I was honestly very shocked to have won the competition and was astonished when I found out. I have not had much experience with writing academic essays before and the prospect doesn’t seem so daunting now, which has made this experience invaluable. 

I plan to invest my money and put it towards my university living costs. Although that doesn’t sound very exciting, it will really help to reduce the amount of debt that I leave with.

In five years’ time I hope to have graduated from university and started training to qualify as a solicitor.

My advice to anyone who wants to enter this competition would be to allow the time to do plenty of research and try to find alternative points of view to your own. I found planning and structuring my essay before writing really helped me to clarify all my ideas and made the research process much easier. I am really looking forward to the work experience placement and talking to the Director of �IJʿ������ at �IJʿ������ as I think this will be very helpful for my future career. I would thoroughly recommend taking part in this competition as it’s been an amazing experience that’s helped me gain a lot of confidence in my academic ability.

Are you considering a career in law, business or policing? Take a look at our undergraduate courses to see how we can help you on your journey.

resources Our Recent Blogs

Student snapshot – muhammad bilal ali, the influence of criminology on policing and criminal law, us bar preparation course: student stories.

8 Best Essay Writing Competitions for High School Students in 2024

I recall a time during high school when I was tasked with writing an essay for my English class on “The significance of old age and death” in Shakespeare’s King Lear. While this topic may have intrigued some, it didn’t particularly captivate me. I approached the assignment with less enthusiasm, going through the motions. However, my perspective shifted when I discovered high school essay competitions that allowed me to choose my topic within a specified theme. 

As a budding economics nerd, i decided to explore the “impact of hyperinflation on the working class” in one of the competitions. although i didn’t receive any awards, the experience left me with a sense of pride, and the skills i gained continue to benefit me in college. , writing essays can seem daunting, especially when the topic fails to ignite one’s passion. however, high school students are fortunate to have numerous opportunities to explore both creative and academic writing. these platforms offer students the freedom to delve into diverse topics, from economics and law to justice, philosophy, climate change, and beyond. , renowned institutions worldwide host essay competitions tailored for students, providing them with a platform to showcase their intellect and creativity. below is a carefully curated list of competitions that might catch the eye of admission officers at your dream college:, our recommended list of high school essay writing competitions in 2024., grc social impact essay competition 2024, cambridge re:think essay competition 2024 , john locke institute 2024 global essay competition, harvard international review academic writing contest, columbia political review high school essay.

Columbia Undergrad Law Review High School Essay Contest 

The Aristotle Contest 2024 

The Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition 2025

Deadline: December 15th, 2024

Eligibility: all high school students worldwide, prize: top five authors win an exclusive internship with one of grc's university branches at harvard, wharton, columbia, and other renowned schools), supporting a consulting team with a client project from february to may 2025. additionally, top 6-10 winners will receive academic guidance and support from an ivy league mentor through at least three coaching sessions and have their work published by the grc think tank on grc’s insights platform., grc is a global student-run consulting firm consisting of over 1,000+ members who advise the world’s largest ngos, governments, charities, and startups. as an international 501(c)(3) non-profit, grc operates branches at 20 top universities worldwide, including harvard, upenn, imperial college, and columbia. , every year, grc hosts an essay competition for high school students from across the globe to propose solutions for good. this year’s prompt challenges participants to craft an argumentative piece addressing a pressing global issue and proposing a compelling solution. topics include technology for good, global health, sustainable development & climate change, innovations in the public sector, modern solutions to human rights issues, and the role of education in promoting gender equality & social mobility., deadline: may 10th, 2024, eligibility: high school students aged 14 to 18 years from around the world. , prizes: cash awards (up to $150), ccir academy scholarship, an invitation for a featured interview on the ccir podcast and website, and an invitation to the award ceremony and dinner at the university of cambridge (free of charge)., the cambridge centre for international research (ccir) was established by a group of cambridge graduates with a clear understanding and vision of the transformative power of knowledge for society. ​their mission is to connect leading researchers and scholars from top academic institutions with the broader public, increasing social access to these transformative resources., organized by ccir, the re:think essay competition encourages critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and controversial topics. the competition promotes intellectual exploration and challenges established norms and beliefs while offering opportunities for envisioning alternative futures. societal issues for discussion include nine topics: religion and politics, political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, genetics, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and neuroengineering. , the competition is guided and judged by an advisory committee comprising academics and experts from elite universities worldwide, including harvard, cambridge, oxford, and mit. , deadline: may 31st, 2024, eligibility: high school students from any country., prize: scholarship worth up to $20k and invitation to dinner and prize-giving ceremony in london, uk., the john locke institute is an independent educational organization that works to embolden the best and brightest students to become more academically ambitious and intellectually adventurous., the john locke global essay prize, hosted by the institute, is a prestigious competition that fosters the characteristics that transform good students into exceptional writers. this competition promotes independent thinking, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis, and persuasive writing style, nurturing growth and honing argumentative skills. the essay spans seven subject categories: philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology and law. , the judging panel comprises senior academics from renowned universities, including oxford and princeton. , deadline: may 31, 2024, eligibility: grade 9-12 students residing in the us or internationally, prize: certificate and recognition on the website, the harvard international review bridges the worlds of academia and policy through outstanding writing and editorial selection. the review has featured exclusive interviews and editorials by 43 presidents and prime ministers, 4 secretaries-general, 4 nobel economics prize laureates, and 7 nobel peace prize laureates., the harvard international review academic writing contest, initiated in 2020, aims to promote and highlight exceptional high school writing on topics about international affairs, grounded in analytically-backed perspectives. , the competition is organized by season, and for the upcoming spring 2024 edition, participants can choose between two distinct themes: “inequalities in a vuca world” and “global challenges and collective actions”., entries should explore the specified themes from a global standpoint rather than focusing solely on us politics. potential topics include agriculture, business, cybersecurity, defense, education, employment & immigration, energy & environment, finance & economy, public health, science & technology, space, trade, and transportation, deadline: june 1st, 2024, founded in 2001, the columbia political review (cpr) is columbia university’s premier undergraduate publication for multi partisan political discourse. its mission is to provide an open forum for political thought on issues of local to global significance. , the mission of cpr is to cultivate the next generation of politically engaged writers. in doing so, they host an annual high school essay contest, inaugurated in 2017. through this initiative, cpr seeks to amplify the voices of talented high school students amid global challenges such as pandemic, conflicts, and uncertainty, offering a platform for innovative and creative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues., the essay prompt for this year’s contest encourages students to delve into the political landscape of one of the 64 countries expected to hold a national election. participants are tasked with researching and writing about the most critical issue at stake in the chosen country’s election., columbia undergrad law review high school essay contest  , deadline: june 21st, 2024, eligibility: high school students, below grade 12 level, internationally ., prize: the winning essay will be published on the culr website, and winners will be invited to a speaker event hosted by culr., the columbia undergraduate law review (culr) was founded to provide the columbia university community and the public with a platform for discussing law-related ideas and publishing undergraduate legal scholarship. many undergraduates and non-law students find legal issues unapproachable or complex. the culr’s mission is to create a space where students can engage in debate and discourse about the law, supported by scholarly research. , the culr is launching the 2024 high school essay content, focusing on the principle of “freedom of speech '' enshrined in the first amendment of the us constitution and its application on social media platforms. the prompt challenges participants to consider the balance between protecting against harmful ideas, combating misinformation, and upholding the principle of free speech. specifically, participants are asked to discuss whether removing harmful ideas is a viable strategy to combat misinformation and societal harm, such as covid-19 medical misinformation or hate speech while considering the value of free speech. additionally, participants must reference at least one court case or legal document in their essays., deadline: june 24th, 2024, eligibility: canadian high school students at or below the grade 12 level., prizes: cash awards up to $500., the university of toronto department of philosophy, in collaboration with the ontario philosophy teachers’ association, presents the annual aristotle contest. this contest aims to recognize and evaluate the best philosophical work by current canadian high school students. it offers students interested in philosophy a chance to have their work reviewed and acknowledged by the largest post-secondary department of philosophy in north america., participants are invited to submit their finest philosophical work on one of three main topics: the potential of artificial intelligence to produce art of aesthetic value, the significance of human free will, and the morality of pet ownership., the harvard crimson global essay competition  2025, deadline: january 2025 (pre-registration has commenced), eligibility: high school students, below grade 12 level, internationally., prize: exclusive internships with the harvard crimson, published work on the official hcgec website, crimson credit with crimson education to help reach individual goals and generous cash prizes., the harvard crimson, the nation's oldest continuously published daily college newspaper, was founded in 1873 and incorporated in 1967. the crimson has a rich tradition of journalistic integrity and counts among its ranks of editorship some of america's greatest journalists. more than 40 crimson alumni have won the pulitzer prize; many of their portraits line the walls of the crimson., the harvard crimson global essay competition (hcgec) serves as a platform for ambitious high school students aged 13 to 18 worldwide, cultivating their passion for writing and encouraging the expression of ideas through creative, argumentative, and journalistic forms.  , the competition comprises two key rounds: regional qualifiers across five regions, followed by the global finals. to advance to the global round, participants must secure a position in the top 15 of their respective regional qualifiers. , while the 2024 competition has concluded, pre-registration for the 2025 edition is now open..

• High School

THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.

ENTER THE QCEC 2024

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now live!

Find out more about this year’s theme

'Our Common Wealth' and make sure to enter by 15 May 2024!

140 years of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. 

ABOUT THE COMPETITION 

An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.

Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.

MEET THE WINNERS 

In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.

Everything You Should Know about the John Locke Institute (JLI) Essay Competition

By Jin Chow

Co-founder of Polygence, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education

2 minute read

We first wrote about the world-famous John Locke Institute (JLI) Essay Competition in our list of 20 writing contests for high school students . This contest is a unique opportunity to refine your argumentation skills on fascinating and challenging topics that aren’t explored in the classroom.

The Oxford philosopher, medical doctor, political scientist, and economist John Locke was a big believer in challenging old habits of the mind. In that spirit, the JLI started this contest to challenge students to be more adventurous in their thinking. 

While not quite as prestigious as getting published in The Concord Review , winning the grand prize or placing in one of the 7 categories of the JLI Essay Competition can get your college application noticed by top schools like Princeton, Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge. Awards include $2,000 scholarships (for category winners) and a $10,000 scholarship for the grand prize. (The scholarships can be applied to the JLI’s Summer Schools at Oxford, Princeton, or Washington D.C., or to its Gap Year programs in Oxford, Guatemala, or Washington, D.C.) 

But winning isn’t necessarily the best thing about it. Simply entering the contest and writing your essay will give you a profound learning experience like no other. Add to that the fact that your entry will be read and possibly commented on by some of the top minds at Oxford and Princeton and it’s free to enter the competition . The real question is: why wouldn’t you enter? Here’s a guide to get you started on your essay contest entry.

Eligibility

The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is open to any student anywhere in the world , ages 15-18. Students 14 or under are eligible for the Junior prize. 

JLI Essay Competition Topics

The essay questions change from year to year. You can choose from 7 different categories (Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law). Within each category, there are 3 intriguing questions you can pick from. When you’re debating which question to write about, here’s a tip. Choose whichever question excites, upsets, or gives you any kind of strong emotional response. If you’re passionate about a topic, it will come through in your research and your writing. If you have any lived experience on the subject, that also helps. 

re are some sample questions the 2023 contest for each of the seven JLI essay subject  categories and the Junior Prize (the questions change each year):

Philosophy : Is tax theft? 

Politics : Do the results of elections express the will of the people?

Economics : What would happen if we banned billionaires?  

History : Which has a bigger effect on history: the plans of the powerful or their mistakes?

Psychology : Can happiness be measured?

Theology : What distinguishes a small religion from a large cult?

Law : Are there too many laws?

Junior Prize : What, if anything, do your parents owe you?

John Locke Writing Contest Requirements

Your essay must not exceed 2,000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography, or authorship declaration) and must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category. No footnotes are allowed, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. 

Timeline and Deadlines

January - New essay questions are released

April 1st - Registration opens

May 31st   - Registration deadline

June 30th - Essay submission deadline

We highly recommend you check the JLI website as soon as the new questions are released in January and start researching and writing as soon as you can after choosing your topic. You must register for the contest by the end of May. The deadline for the essay submission itself is at the end of June, but we also recommend that you submit it earlier in case any problems arise. If you start right away in January, you can have a few months to work on your essay. 

John Locke Institute Essay Competition Judging Criteria

While the JLI says that their grading system is proprietary, they do also give you this helpful paragraph that describes what they are looking for: “Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material , the competent use of evidence , quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind . Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful. Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible. ” (We’ve bolded important words to keep in mind.) 

You can also join the JLI mailing list (scroll to the bottom of that page) to get contest updates and to learn more about what makes for a winning essay.

Research and Essay Writing Tactics

Give yourself a baseline. First, just write down all your thoughts on the subject without doing any research. What are your gut-level opinions? What about this particular question intrigued you the most? What are some counter-arguments you can think of right away? What you are trying to do here is identify holes in your knowledge or understanding of the subject. What you don’t know or are unsure about can guide your research. Be sure to find evidence to support all the things you think you already know. 

Create a reading/watching list of related books, interviews, articles, podcasts, documentaries, etc. that relate to your topic. Find references that both support and argue against your argument. Choose the most highly reputable sources you can find. You may need to seek out and speak to experts to help you locate the best sources. Read and take notes. Address those questions and holes in the knowledge you identified earlier. Also, continue to read widely and think about your topic as you observe the world from day to day. Sometimes unrelated news stories, literature, film, songs, and visual art can give you an unexpected insight into your essay question. Remember that c is a learning experience and that you are not going to have a rock-solid argument all at once.

Read past winning essays . These will give you a sense of the criteria judges are using to select winning work. These essays are meant to convince the judges of a very specific stance. The argument must be clear and must include evidence to support it. You will note that winning entries tend to get straight to the point, show an impressive depth of knowledge on the subject with citations to reputable sources, flow with excellent reasoning, and use precise language. They don’t include flowery digressions. Save that for a different type of writing.

Proof your work with a teacher or mentor if possible . Even though your argument needs to be wholly your own, it certainly helps to bounce ideas around with someone who cares about the topic. A teacher or mentor can help you explore different options if you get stuck and point you toward new resources. They can offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses. Working with a teacher or mentor is important for another reason. When you submit your entry, you will be required to provide the email address of an “academic referee” who is familiar with your work. This should be a teacher or mentor who is not related to you. 

Research and Prepare for your Competition or Fair

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own. Our highly-specialized mentors can help guide you to feel even more prepared for an upcoming fair or competion. We also offer options to explore multiple topics, or to showcase your final product!

• Rikhil Parsram

Exploring Essay Competitions Across the Social Sciences

Updated: 3 days ago

There are a spectrum of essay competitions out there catering to students worldwide across diverse academic disciplines. From the John Locke Essay Competition, focused on philosophical inquiry, to the economics-centred Marshall Society Essay Competition, each contest offers students a unique opportunity to hone their skills and build their profile. Here are some essay competitions available to students in India, and worldwide, to showcase their writing and critical thinking skills:

John Locke Essay Competition

Program focus: Named after renowned philosopher John Locke, the John Locke Institute hosts an annual essay competition on a variety of philosophical topics, exploring themes related to politics, economics, history, psychology, theology and law. Entry is free and open to students younger than 18 years old from any country. There is also a junior category for entrants younger than 14 years. Essays are judged by a panel of senior academics from leading universities such as Oxford and Princeton.

Eligibility : Up to 18 years old (Junior Category: up to 14 years old)

Registration deadline:  May 31, 2024

Submission deadline: June 30, 2024

Late entry deadline: July 10, 2024 ($20 charge)

Prize: $10,000 scholarship for a summer school and an honorary John Lock Institute Junior Fellowship for the best essay overall, $2,000 towards the cost of attending the John Locke Institute for winners of each subject category, essays published on the website.

2. Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition

Program focus: Delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883, the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition invites students from across the Commonwealth to submit essays on various themes ranging from sociopolitical to environmental issues. This year, the topics cover the climate crisis, cooperation and community in the Commonwealth, and peace, liberty and progress.

Eligibility : Senior category: 14-18 years / Junior category: under 14 years - (Commonwealth nationals and residents only) 

Submission deadline: May 15, 2024  

Prize: Week of educational and cultural events in London and a special Awards Ceremony for one Winner and one Runner Up in each category. A number of Gold Finalist, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards in both categories. Certificate of Participation for all successful entries.

3. Immerse Education Essay Competition

Program focus: The Immerse Education Essay Competition invites students between the ages of 13 and 18 to submit essay responses to a question of their choice from a bank of 20 to choose from. Ten winners are granted a 100% scholarship to Immerse programs such as the Cambridge Summer School.

Eligibility : 13-18 years old 

Submission deadline: September 12, 2024

Prize: 100% scholarship for 10 winners; Partial scholarships up to 50% for runners up; Partial scholarships worth up to 20% for the next category of entrants who are not runner-ups.

4. Northeastern University London Essay Competition

Program focus: Northeastern University London organises an essay competition, inviting entries from students in the penultimate year of secondary education (i.e. Grade 11). Essay titles cover a broad range from business and computer science to history and law. Entries are accepted from students all over the world.

Eligibility : Grade 11 students

Submission deadline: December 31, 2023

Prize: £1,000 for the overall winner across all essay subjects, £500 for each winner in each subject category, £250 for each runner up in each subject category

5. HIR Academic Writing Contest

Program focus: The Harvard International Review, a quarterly magazine on international affairs, runs an academic writing contest to encourage high school students to write on topics related to international issues. Participants are invited to submit a 1,200-word article on a topic related to international affairs today such as agriculture, energy and environment or public health.

Eligibility : Grades 9-12

Submission deadline:  Spring: May 31, 2024 / Summer: August 31, 2024 / Fall: January 2, 2025

Prize: All submissions will receive a score from the Harvard International Review. Contestants that receive a passing score without qualifying for a HIR Defense Day will receive individual prizes. Finalists will be eligible for Gold/Silver/Bronze medals based on their scores and performance in the HIR Defense Day.

6. Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize

Program focus: Established in 1955, the UK's Institute of Economic Affairs hosts the Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize, an economics essay competition named after Dorian Fisher, wife of IEA founder Sir Antony Fisher. The competition is open to IB and A-Levels students and the essay topics vary year-to-year but often revolve around topics such as the impact of government policies, the importance of individual freedom or the role of markets in addressing societal challenges. Students are typically asked to answer one 1,200-word essay and two 500-word questions.

Eligibility : A-Levels & IB students

Submission deadline:  January 26, 2024

Prize: 1st prize of £500, £250 each for three runners up, £500 for the school with the highest number of entrants

7. Marshall Society Essay Competition

Program focus: The Marshall Society Essay Competition is organised annually by the Marshall Society, the economics society of the University of Cambridge. Open to students aged 16-18 years, the competition sets essay questions on a range of economic themes related to the impact of IA on the labour market to evaluating the efficacy of policies.

Eligibility : 16-18 years old

Submission deadline: August 2024

Prize: Top 3 winners get their essays published in The Dismal Scientist, the magazine of the Marshall Society with a prize of £50 for 1st place winner and £25 for 2nd place and 3rd place finalists

8. Harvard International Economics Essay Contest (HIEEC)

Program focus: Sponsored by the Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association (HUEA), the Harvard International Economics Essay Competition is open to high school students of any year and invites participants to construct a convincing argument to one of four prompts using economic theory and real-world examples. 

Cost: $20 reading fee

Submission deadline: January 5, 2024

Prize: Top 3 winning essays published on HUEA’s website; finalists list of top submission published online and adjudicated by 2016 Economics Nobel Prize winner Oliver Hart; “Highly Commended” distinction awarded to a list of names published online

To understand which of these programs is ideal for you, speak to your mentors at OnCourse who will be able to make the most effective recommendations keeping in mind your interests, your current academic standing and your resume. If you are not enrolled with OnCourse , reach out to set up a consultation meeting  to understand more about our mentoring programs for students from Grade 8 to Grade 12. 

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Home › Essay Competition 2024 › Essay Competition Winners › 2021 Essay Competition Winner – 16-18

2021 Essay Competition Winner – 16-18

Table of Contents

Take a look at one of the winning entries to the Immerse Education Essay Competition from the Business Management category. Congratulations to all participants and in particular to those who won 100% scholarships!

by Kornelia K . Read Kornelias Scholarship Story Here.

What makes a good role model in business?

A role model can mean different things to different people however a widely accepted term is a person who someone admires and whose behaviour they may imitate(1). To be a good role model in business, one should be responsible, ethical, and possess good judgement. These admirable characteristics are a necessity in order to ensure that those under the influence of a person will emulate those qualities, instead of ones that could be viewed as harmful, such as selfishness or unreliability. Moreover, in business, adopting unethical practises and poor judgement can lead to dire consequences. Some repercussions can include legal issues, loss of your company or an inadequate reputation.

Being ethical is one of the most fundamental attributes of a role model, particularly in a business environment. Unethical business practices are anything that falls below minimum standards for business code of conduct (2) and some examples can include defamation, harmful habits,, false product claims and discrimination. The gender pay gap is one controversial case of unethical business practice; in 2020 it was reported that from 2019 to 2020, there was a mean wage gap of 6.5% and a median of 15.9% between men and women (3). Difference in salaries is just one method of discrimination. Fortunately, in a further progressing society, prejudice is being viewed as what it is : unethical. It is crucial for a role model in business to be ethical as aspiring entrepreneurs may believe certain practices to be acceptable which produces a generation of corrupt business people. Another quality of a successful role model is responsibility. To be responsible is to be accountable for one’s behaviour or action (4). Part of human nature is to make mistakes and although this may be inevitable, our actions subsequently are ultimately our decision. Whether we accept responsibility or place blame on other individuals can define our character to those around us. When one acknowledges their errors, it encourages those who associate with them to do the same and also makes adopting solutions uncomplicated. On the other hand, confessing to one faults can make one seem incompetent; however disclosing your short-comings not only assists you in learning from them, but also those who consider you a role model. Having good judgement is an essential aspect of being an influential role model. A person’s reputation can rely heavily on the decisions that affect a business. Kay Whitmore (former CEO of Kodak) unfortunately lacked this attribute when he failed to adapt to an evolving reality. His poor judgement cost him his position when he was eventually fired from his own company in 1993 (5). In contrast, Elon Musk shaped his career through a series of intelligent choices. One of his most prominent companies (Tesla), is believed to be defining a new era with its electric cars (6). They adapted to the world’s concern of climate change and have created one of the most sustainable cars (7) which not only is environmentally friendly but also motivates customers to buy from them. The difference between whether one’s judgement is poor or not, can change your or your company’s reputation. In summary, to be a good role model in business, one should possess qualities of responsibility, morality and be able to make decisions that help your company evolve. Only then can the next generation of entrepreneurs truly thrive.

Bibliography

Cambridge Dictionary, “Role model”. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/role-model (Accessed 2021-05-28)

L. Holton, “The Ugly Truth About Unethical Business Practices [Updated]”, 17-05-20. https://myva360.com/blog/the-ugly-truth-about-unethical-business-practices

(Accessed 2021-06-03)

Gov.uk, “DIT gender pay gap report 2019 to 2020”, 15-12-20.

%20gender%20pay%20gap,hourly%20difference%20is%20%C2%A34.04 (Accessed 2021-06-03)

Lexico, “Responsible”. https://www.lexico.com/definition/Responsible (Accessed 2021-06-03)

business.com Member, “Leading By Bad Example: Famous Leaders You Want to be Nothing Like”, 09-02-16.

https://www.business.com/articles/famous-leaders-you-want-to-be-nothing-like/   (Accessed  2021-06-12)

E . Taylor, N. Shirouzu, J. White, “How Tesla defined a new era for the global auto industry”, 22-07-20.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-tesla-newera-insight-idUSKCN24N0 (Accessed 2021-06-12)

M. Lewis, “EGEB: Tesla (surprise!) is the most eco-friendly car brand – study”, 13-12-19. https://electrek.co/2019/12/13/egeb-tesla-most-eco-friendly-car-brand-european-green-deal/ (Accessed 2021-06-12)

Why Apply To The Immerse Education Essay Competition? 

Are you a highly motivated student aged 13-18? Have you ever wanted to experience studying at Cambridge or Oxford? 

The Immerse Education essay competition allows you the chance to submit an essay for the chance to be awarded a scholarship to the award-winning Cambridge summer school . 

How To Apply To The Immerse Education Essay Competition? 

The Immerse Education annual essay competition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a scholarship to a Cambridge or Oxford summer school . 

If you’re aged 13-18 and you’re interested in applying to the Immerse Education essay competition then please visit our essay competition page for more details.

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