The University of Tasmania is bringing Year 11 and 12 students from around the state together for the 2023 Economics Challenge to learn about the value of economics.
This year’s Challenge, hosted by the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, will focus on cost-of-living and look at how economics can influence policy, behaviour, and decision-making to improve the lives of Tasmanians.
"The Challenge is an opportunity for young Tasmanians to engage with economic study through a fun, interactive and collaborative event designed to encourage students to develop their economic mindsets."
“It presents students with a new and interesting approach to economics and shows them how it can be applied across other fields like science, agriculture and health,” Economics Discipline Leader Dr Mala Raghavan said.
With Australians facing increasing cost-of-living pressures and in the context of the Federal Budget release, this year’s theme was chosen to engage students on contemporary issues affecting Tasmanians and their future, and how policy interventions would help mitigate some of these issues.
The Executive Dean of the College of Business and Economics, Professor Stuart Crispin, said the Challenge provides students with a refreshing look at economics, encourages further study, and introduces them to new and emerging careers.
“Economics is at the foundation of our society and affects us all, so we must encourage students to see economics as an interesting and important area of study.
"With the challenges and opportunities facing Australians, now has never been a better time for the next generation of climate and resource economists, international economists and social, experimental and behavioural economists to learn and achieve in a field that is so important for Tasmania, Australia and the wider world."
With events in Hobart and Launceston, the Economics Challenge will see around 200 students from across the state come together to take part, with attendees participating in a panel discussion with industry and academic experts and a series of interactive activities.
“Students will be asked to navigate natural resource economics, unpack policy interventions and dive into the world of behavioural economics with experts from the Economics Discipline, and if they’re lucky, they might win some prizes as well.
“We also see it as a great opportunity for students to network with peers from different schools and develop an understanding of the career and study opportunities that exist in the field of economics,” Dr Raghavan said.
The Economics Challenge will be held at the Sandy Bay campus on the 12th of May, and at the Inveresk Campus on Friday 19th of May.