2024 Foreign Policy Case Competition

Following the success of our inaugural Foreign Policy Analysis Competition in 2020 and again in 2023 we are excited to announce the return of this unmissable event!

The competition will put you in the shoes of a diplomat based in an Australian Embassy overseas, testing your ability to research, analyse and convey the complexity of an interesting global event.

With special guest judges, networking opportunities, and prizes up for grabs, this is a great chance to test yourself against other aspiring young diplomats.

Competition FAQs

Key dates:

Monday 30th September - Participant registration opens at 9am

Friday 11th October - Participant registration closes at 11:59pm

Friday 18th October - Competition starts. Case brief sent out to participants at 9am

Monday 21st October - Competition closes. Participants to submit brief online by 5pm

Tuesday 22nd & Wednesday 23rd October - Guest judges to assess top entries

Thursday 24th October - Case competition winner announced at online event following panel discussion with special guests.

NOTE: dates and times listed are in AEST.

FAQs:

Who can participate?

Any student or young professional (under 30) currently living in Australia.

What is the event and where is it being held?

The 2024 Case Competition winners will be announced at an online event held on Thursday 24th October.

Prizes will be awarded to the competition winners. More details coming soon.

How do I sign up?

Registrations will be open from 9:00am (AEST) Monday the 30th September to 11:59pm (AEST) Friday the 11th of November.

Where can I find out more about other YDS events?

For details on the 2020 Foreign Policy Analysis Competition, please click here

For information on upcoming YDS events, please click here

What can I win?

First place will receive a book prize and their submission will be published on the YDS website.

All competitors will receive a certificate acknowledging their entry and an invitation to attend a virtual panel discussion.

Who are the judges?

The judging panel will include professionals working in foreign affairs. To be announced soon!

How much time will the task take?

We anticipate that a good entry should take contestants between 3-5 hours. We don’t want you spending your whole weekend on this!

Can I get an extension?

Unfortunately no extensions will be given for this competition.

Do I need to reference my submission?

No. You are not expected to reference your submission, however, when discussing specific events or figures, it is recommended that you hyperlink to the original source.