Research Institute Press Release

Press Release

Credit Suisse Research Institute Announces Winner of 2017 Academy Challenge on the Future of Politics


A 21-year old Masters student of Finance at the Boston College has won the 2017 Credit Suisse Research Institute (CSRI) Academy Challenge. With a highly analytical paper assessing different scenarios for the global political order over the next decade, Sergey Litvinenko was announced winner of the essay challenge. As part of the prize, the Russian origin Litvinenko will be a co-author of the upcoming CSRI report on “The Future of Politics”, planned for 2017. 

“I am extremely excited about this award and look forward to exploring the opportunities the CSRI platform offers and the many doors it will open, as we have seen with last year’s Academy Challenge winner, Stefani Kostadinova. I found the ideas challenge to be incredibly valuable and motivating. With limited time to deliver a new perspective on an important topic and guidance from a world-renowned professor, the contest could not have been more appealing!” Litvinenko said. 

The best 20 authors in the ideas challenge on the future of politics will each join the growing CSRI Academy Network, connecting bright-minded students and recent graduates with leading experts to jointly develop original insights on economic and political trends. 

Urs Rohner, Chairman of the CSRI and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Credit Suisse Group commented: “Working with bright, young people and including them in the current debate is crucial to our future – and that is exactly what the Credit Suisse Research Institute does. In this year’s Academy Challenge on the future of politics, participants from across the world again contributed with a broad range of new, fresh perspectives.” 

As in the first CSRI Academy Challenge last year, students and recent graduates from all over the world participated in the 2017 competition. CSRI received more than 200 submissions from authors representing 132 different universities, 39 countries and 48 nationalities. The Academic Review Board, a panel of leading academics, assessed the submissions and drew up a list of the top 20 authors, from which the final winner was selected. 

The best 20 authors in the 2017 competition are all joining the top 20 from last year’s challenge in the CSRI Academy Network, which is growing into a dynamic platform for students and graduates to drive debate around topical issues and trends. Stefani Kostadinova, who won last year’s CSRI Academy Challenge on the future of monetary policy and has been accepted onto an MBA program at NYU’s Stern School of Business, will be leading a working group for CSRI Academy members with the goal to publish research and contribute to upcoming CSRI publications. 

Lucia Waldner, Head of the CSRI, added: “With the CSRI Academy, we have created a platform for students and recent graduates to promote their views. We also support their career development and introduce them to some of the world’s leading minds.” 

The CSRI Academy was launched in the summer of 2016 as a global, virtual student academy to find, promote and develop talented, ambitious students from across the globe. The sponsors of the Academy include the CSRI and Project Firefly, a leading global student platform. 

Click here to listen to Sergey Litvinenko’s experience of winning the 2017 Academy Challenge. 

About the Credit Suisse Research Institute

The Credit Suisse Research Institute is Credit Suisse's in-house think tank. The Institute was established in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis with the objective to study long-term economic developments, which have – or promise to have – a global impact within and beyond the financial services. For more information, visit: www.credit-suisse.com/ch/en/about-us/research/research-institute.html

About Project Firefly

Credit Suisse is a founding sponsor of Project Firefly and has been supporting it since 2012. This student platform campaigns for equal opportunities, collaboration, and openness. Through numerous contests, it offers young people a chance to present their perspective, develop solutions and address future questions about business, politics, and society.