Global Ideas Competition for Graduate Students

The Global Ideas Competition, formerly known as the Global Essay Competition, is a flagship initiative of the St. Gallen Symposium that brings together outstanding graduate and postgraduate students from around the world to engage in cross-generational dialogue with senior leaders in business, politics, academia, and civil society. The competition is designed to identify and empower the next generation of thought leaders by challenging them to address pressing global issues through original and evidence-based ideas.

For the 56th St. Gallen Symposium, participants are invited to respond to the question: “What could we solve, if we could agree?” by identifying a real-world problem hindered by lack of cooperation and proposing a novel arrangement to make solving it more effective. Submissions consist of a Solution Brief (maximum 1,000 words) and a three-minute Video Explainer, both assessed for originality, analytical rigor, and the strength of argument and evidence.

The competition is open to individuals enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme (master level or higher) at a regular university in any field of study, born in 1997 or later. Submissions must be individual (no group work), written exclusively for this contest, and all sources and auxiliary aids (including AI tools) must be fully cited. The Solution Brief is assessed anonymously in the first round, with the Video Explainer reviewed in the second round to confirm authorship.

Winners of the competition are awarded the opportunity to participate as Leaders of Tomorrow at the St. Gallen Symposium, with all travel, accommodation, and board expenses covered. In addition, the three best ideas share a prize fund of CHF 20,000 (approximately $22,600 USD), and top competitors may present their ideas on the main stage at the Symposium.

For more information, visit St. Gallen Symposium.