Essay Competition 2027

To apply for the Master's program Economic Policy and Journalism, prospective students are asked to write an original news article of about 6000 characters. 

As a prerequisite to application, the authors of the best articles will be invited to a personal interview with the examination board. After successful completion of the interview, applicants will receive a written confirmation that they have passed the aptitude test. This document must be uploaded alongside all other documents during the application process.

Article requirements

The text should be written in English language and must adhere to journalistic standards in terms of writing and quality criteria. Moreover, the article should be fit to be published in a financial newspaper. In particular, we value research, analytical originality, and stylistic clarity.    

This year’s topic: 

The economic consequences of (re-)armament

The world over nations are building up their military arsenals. This raises questions concerning the economic consequences of rising military expenditure, particularly at a time when in many countries state finances are already dire and demographic trends weight on labour markets. 

• How is the situation evolving? 
• Where does the current drive to re-armament lead us to? 
• What are realistic policy options?

Submission

We strongly encourage early submissions (before December 31st) as it takes time to process all articles and you'll have to upload the confirmation of the aptitude test alongside all other documents to the application portal, which will open mid-January. Please note that we do not recommend the use of generative AI to write your article and that it is mandatory to include a signed affidavit with your submission.

The article must be submitted via e-mail. 

We are looking forward to your contributions and to getting to know you!