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Press Release

Credit Suisse Research Institute Academy launches 2017 ideas challenge on the future of politics

Following the success of the 2016 Credit Suisse Research Institute (CSRI) Academy Challenge, the think tank is launching the 2017 CSRI Academy Challenge, asking young people for their views on how the political order may change over the next decade.

The CSRI is inviting students and graduates from around the world to assess the future of politics and present their ideas in the form of short videos or written essays over the next six weeks. The winner of the challenge will have their work published by the CSRI and will be invited to the CSRI Spring Meeting in New York on “The Future of Politics” with the Chairman of Credit Suisse Group, Urs Rohner, and a group of leading political figures and commentators. 

Urs Rohner, Chair of the CSRI and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Credit Suisse Group, explains: “For nearly a decade, our Institute has been examining global trends that shape our future. The changing political order is without a doubt one of them and we find it crucial to include the next generation in our work. The CSRI Student Academy encourages young people to think about the current political order early on.”

The winner of the 2016 CSRI Academy Challenge was a young economics student from Bulgaria, Stefani Kostadinova, who presented her perspectives on the future of monetary policy at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 in Davos. “This opportunity to be mentored by leading academics and share my ideas in such an important and influential setting is really a dream scenario. I have been given a platform and now look forward to seizing this challenge of helping to build out economic and political developments for my generation and those to come.”

The CSRI Academy was launched in the summer of 2016 as a global, virtual student academy to bring together bright-minded students and recent graduates, and jointly develop fresh perspectives around key social and economic trends that drive today's societies. Lucia Waldner, Head of the CSRI and key architect of the Student Academy added: “It is so important that we encourage young people to join the economic and political decision making table. Our objective is to address key future questions and get these students debating and developing their ideas around these topics.”

The sponsors of the academy are the CSRI and Project Firefly, a leading global student platform. The Academic Review Board (ARB), comprising academics from universities from across the world, will assess the Academy Challenge submissions according to a grading system and draw up a list of the top 20 authors, who will be coached in developing their idea into a comprehensive piece by leading academics, including professors from Harvard, Berkley and other leading universities. From this group of 20, a final winner will be selected.

The deadline for submission of essays and video presentations is March 19, 2017. Further information on the contest can be found below.

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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/researchinstitute.

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.