NEC

The National Economics Challenge (NEC) is run by the Council for Economic Education (CEE). Founded in 1949 at the initiative of the US President's Council of Economic Advisers, the CEE has a 77-year history as the standard-setter for K-12 financial literacy in the United States, and partners with Wall Street institutions including Moody's, PwC, Citibank and Bloomberg. Over two decades the NEC has grown to engage more than 15,000 students a year, with coverage broadcast live on CNBC.

The NEC entered China in 2016 (CNEC) and has since connected over 800 schools and benefited 100,000 students across more than 50 countries and regions. Its academic programme and participants are widely recognised by leading Wall Street financial institutions and top universities worldwide — over 60% of students who reach the NEC Global Round study phase are admitted to world-class universities such as Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge.

The NEC suits Grade 7-12 students with a foundation in economics and strong English reading and writing skills. Teams compete in three divisions — Pre (entry), David Ricardo (intermediate) and Adam Smith (advanced) — across microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics and current events, through rounds including objective tests, critical-thinking case studies, an economic innovation challenge and the Super Econ bowl.

The competition is compatible with BC, VCE, IGCSE, A-Level, IB, AP and other curricula, offering tiered academic groupings and leadership development through dedicated clubs. Students advance from the qualifying round to the China round and finally to the Global Round in New York, competing alongside peers from China and the United States.