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CEFER Challenge

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  1. What is the CEFER Challenge?

Inspired by the Federal Reserve Challenge in the US, the CEFER Challenge is an annual thematic team competition for university students from various academic disciplines. By presenting in front of a panel of experts, the students can learn and think outside the box about issues related to the euro area macroeconomy, the Eurosystem, and the implementation of monetary policy.

  1. Why should you participate?

In addition to the prize money and internship opportunities, the CEFER Challenge allows students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems. Besides logical thinking, writing, and data analysis, skills that are under-emphasised in the classroom, such as teamwork and public speaking, can also be perfected. These skills can be used to acquire internships, prepare for graduate studies, and discover potential career paths.

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General Information about the CEFER Challenge 

  1. What is the CEFER Challenge?

The CEFER Challenge, inspired by the Federal Reserve Challenge in the US, is an annual thematic team competition for university and/or master level students from various academic disciplines. By presenting in front of a panel of experts, the students can learn and think outside the box on issues related to the euro area macroeconomy, the Eurosystem, and the implementation of monetary policy.

  1. Why Should You Participate?

In addition to the prize money and internship opportunities, the CEFER Challenge allows students to take classroom knowledge and apply it to real-world problems. Besides logical thinking, writing, and data analysis, skills that are under-emphasized in the classroom, such as teamwork and public speaking, can also get perfected. These skills can be used to acquire internships, prepare for graduate study, and discover potential career paths.

  1. Format  

​The event will consist of two rounds:

(Round 1) Video Submission (3 min)

          *Only selected teams will enter Round 2

(Round 2) Livestream Q&A (30 min)

  • 15 min presentation
  • 15 min Q&A

  1. Prizes

  • Winner (1 team): 3000 euros + Internship possibilities at the Bank of Lithuania/interested partners
  • Runner-Up (1 team): 1500 euros + Internship possibilities at the Bank of Lithuania/interested partners
  • Honorable Mention (1 team)

  1. Partners

Each year, we will have a call for partners shortly after the theme is finalized.

  1. Competition Steps, Scoring Rubric, Additional Resources and CEFER Challenge Regulations

Competition steps (132.4 KB download icon) Score rubric (238.8 KB download icon) Additional resources (110.4 KB download icon)  (296 KB download icon)CEFER Challenge regulations (LT) (269.7 KB download icon) CEFER Challenge regulations (EN) (279.7 KB download icon)

  1. Organizing Committee—CEFER

In the case of any questions, please email tl.bl@egnellahcrefec.

CEFER Challenge 2023

  1. Topic—the Return of High Inflation

CEFER Challenge encouraged students to explore the economic and financial implications of high inflation in the euro area. The drivers and consequences of persistent inflation are at the centre of the current policy debate, including but not limited to:

  1. Format and Important Dates 

Round 1: Video Submission (3 min)

  • 1.5 min on Why: Focusing on one aspect of the current high inflation (either drivers or consequences) in the euro area, explain intuitively to central banks and financial regulators why this aspect is important.
  • 1.5 min on Evidence: Provide brief evidence to support your argument. Data evidence is preferred, other forms of evidence are acceptable.

*Only selected teams will enter Round 2.

Round 2: Livestream Q&A (30 min)

  • 15 min presentation: Expanding on the aspect of interest and discussing its implications for the monetary policy and financial stability.
  • 15 min Q&A: Quantitative and qualitative questions related to the presentation from the jury.

Important dates

Registration opens 02/03/2023
Deadline to register via email 31/03/2023
Deadline for Round 1 video submission 07/04/2023
Notification of Round 2 teams 14/04/2023
Submission of summary report and presentation slides 24/04/2023
Round 2 and winner announcement   28/04/2023

  1. Partners

UAB Nasdaq Vilnius Services is selected as 2nd CEFER Challenge partner. 

  1. Winners

Winner team: Maxime Moreau, Quentin Weber, Samuel Borges, and Elliot Lafois (University of Orleans)
Runner-Up team: Matthew Dwight Houston, Oliver Mayer, Elisabeth Fidrmuc (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
Honorable Mention team: Krystal Ng, Mason Crawford, Vincent Anderson (University of Edinburgh)

Photo Gallery and Recordings

CEFER Challenge 2022

  1. Topic—The Economic and Financial Impact of Climate Change

The inception event encourages students to explore why central banks and financial regulators should care about climate change and how to implement monetary policy to combat climate change. The European Central Bank (ECB) has identified many macroeconomic and financial channels that climate change can impact the real economy, and has committed an ambitious action plan to consider climate risks in its monetary policy. The channels identified by the ECB are not exhaustive, and we encourage students to focus on a single (perhaps novel) channel and develop a thorough understanding of the monetary policy implications of climate change.

  1. Format and Important Dates 

A. Format

The event will consist of two rounds:

A1. (Round 1) Video Submission (3 min)

  • 1.5 min on Why: Focusing on one economic/financial channel, explain intuitively why central banks and financial regulators should care about climate change.
  • 1.5 min on Evidence: Provide brief evidence to support the suggested channel. Data evidence is preferred, other forms of evidence are acceptable.

A2. (Round 2) Livestream Q&A (30 min)

  • 15 min presentation: Expanding on the suggested economic/financial channel and discussing its monetary policy implications.
  • 15 min Q&A: Quantitative and qualitative questions related to the presentation from the jury.

B. Important dates

Registration opens 10/03/2022
Deadline to register via email 10/04/2022
Deadline for Round 1 video submission 15/04/2022
Notification of Round 2 teams 21/04/2022
Submission of summary report and presentation slides 02/05/2022
Round 2 and winner announcement   05/05/2022

  1. Partners

UAB Nasdaq Vilnius Services and AB SEB bank are selected as 1st CEFER Challenge partners. 

  1. Winners

Winner team: Krystal Ng, Annie Liu and Rebecca Lu (University of Edinburgh)
Runner-Up team: Nathan Besson, Benoit Sence and Yoen Corbel-Vivas (University of Orleans)
Honorable Mention team: Karolis Lajauskas (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Isabella Arnold (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and AistėTrasauskaitė (ISM University of Management and Economics)

Photo Gallery and Recordings

2022 CEFER Challenge Highlights

2022 CEFER Challenge Winner Presentation and Q&A

2022 CEFER Challenge Winner Announcement

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Last update: 10-05-2023