Call for Papers
World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC)
Young Academic Award 2024

The 2024 Young Academic Award, hosted by The World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), invites young academics to submit papers or essays on the future of a sustainable and inclusive financial sector.

The global financial sector continues to evolve rapidly with new technologies enabling the digitization of money, innovative trends involving artificial intelligence and DLT, and a greater focus on financing SMEs and financial inclusion. We see a long-term transition toward a sustainable financial industry, while there is a need to support the economic recovery from the pandemic in the short term.

We invite young academics to submit papers or essays addressing one of the following topics:

1) The role of international financial centers in promoting collaboration and channeling climate change finance.
2) How financial centers can support the harmonization and proliferation of sustainable reporting standards.
3) The role of IFCs in financing the circular economy.
4) The role of the financial sector in designing products/services and due diligence practices to specifically foster social enterprises.
5) How financial centers can foster gender diversity in the financial industry.
6) The impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on the financial sector.
7) The role Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) will play in the coming years.
8) How financial centers can support talent development and re-skilling, particularly regarding sustainability and financial technology.
9) How the financial sector can remain an attractive employer for young talent.
10) How financial centers can foster international cooperation & peace in a tense geopolitical context.

We will also consider papers on topics not mentioned above but relevant to the work of international financial centers. Papers must be either unpublished or published no earlier than 2023. An English translation is required if the paper is written in a different language.

The top three finalists will have the unique opportunity to present their research at WAIFC’s Annual General Meeting, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, in the week starting 14 October 2024. WAIFC will pay for the travel expenses to Tokyo as stated in the Award Handbook.

Our Chair will announce the best paper winner and award a prize of €3,000. The runners-up will be awarded prizes of €2,000 (2nd place) and €1,000 (3rd place).

Who can enter?
We invite young academics from around the world to make a submission. WAIFC is a global organization, and we aim to make this a global competition. The Award is open to all countries, including non-WAIFC member countries. As our focus is on finance, we particularly encourage submissions from Ph.D. students in finance, economics, mathematics, computer science, or other similar fields to participate. We are, however, seeking new ideas, so a background in any field of study is welcome as long as your paper or essay relates to finance and meets our submission criteria. Submissions are welcome from those in universities, research institutes, think tanks, and other similar institutions.

Multiple authors can contribute to a paper or essay, but as we seek ideas from bright young minds, at least one author must be under 35 as of 15 June 2024.

How will the winners be selected?
We will assess the papers against the following criteria: (1) novelty, (2) topicality, (3) innovative thinking, (4) scientific merit, (5) relevance for financial centers, and (6) practical applicability.

How to apply?
Applications to submit your paper or essay may be made by 15 May 2024 via our submission form. Your final paper or essay must be submitted no later than 15 June 2024 via our website: https://award.waifc.finance/

Full details on who can enter, how to enter, assessment criteria, and so on are detailed within our Award Handbook. If you have any further questions or if you are unable to access the submission form, please email award@waifc.finance.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and hopefully meeting you in Tokyo later this year.

About the WAIFC
The World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) is a non-profit association registered in Belgium, representing 30 leading international financial centers across five continents. WAIFC members are government agencies, associations, and similar institutions developing and promoting their financial centers. WAIFC facilitates cooperation between its members, exchanging best practices and communication with the general public.
For more details, please visit https://waifc.finance.

WAIFC, 208 Avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels, Belgium