IEOx Educator Forum

A new IEO initiative to recognise, showcase, and disseminate innovative approaches to economics teaching from educators around the world — extending our educational mission beyond the competition.

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Honouring Educators
Who Reshape Economics Learning

While IEO has traditionally focused on supporting and inspiring students, this initiative creates a platform for educators to share practices that make economics learning more engaging, relevant, and impactful.

The International Economics Olympiad (IEO) launched the inaugural IEOx Educator Forum in 2026 to recognise, showcase, and share innovative approaches to economics teaching from around the world.

The forum welcomes teaching ideas, classroom practices, learning activities, and educational resources that support student learning and engagement. Details for the 2027 edition will be announced ahead of registration.

Winning and shortlisted resources contribute to a growing international repository of teaching ideas for the global community of economics teachers.

3
Thematic panels exploring innovation in economics teaching
12
Finalists selected — four per panel — to present their work
74+
Countries reached by the global IEO community
6
Awards and recognitions across panel and overall categories
Educator presenting a teaching approach at the 2026 forum
Ideas shared by educators at the 2026 forum

What the Symposium Aims to Achieve

The IEOx Educator Forum is built on five interlocking goals — together strengthening the educational backbone of the global IEO community.

Promote Innovation

Promote innovative and engaging economics teaching practices that bring the discipline alive in the classroom.

Connect to Reality

Encourage connections between contemporary economic issues and what students actually learn in classrooms.

Open Repository

Create a growing repository of open-access teaching resources for the global community of economics educators.

Educational Impact

Strengthen IEO's educational impact beyond competitions, embedding teaching excellence in our mission.

Professional Network

Foster collaboration and professional networking among economics educators worldwide.

Three Areas of Innovation

Applicants are invited to submit their work under one of the following three thematic panels. Each panel will showcase four finalists at the symposium.

Panel 01

Curriculum & Content Innovation

Rethinking what economics students learn — and how that content is sequenced and connected to the world.

  • New syllabus approaches
  • Contemporary economics topics
  • Interdisciplinary initiatives
  • Novel curriculum design
Panel 02

Teaching Methods & Classroom Practice

How we teach — the techniques, tools, and experiences that make economic ideas tangible.

  • Simulations and games
  • Technology-enhanced learning
  • Experiential learning activities
  • Innovative classroom methodologies
Panel 03

Student Learning & Engagement

Putting students at the centre — assessing learning, supporting agency, and building communities of inquiry.

  • Assessment innovation
  • Student-led learning
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Collaborative learning approaches

Eligibility & Submission Requirements

For the inaugural 2026 edition, submissions were open to educators connected to the IEO ecosystem. Requirements for 2027 will be updated.

Who Can Apply

Eligible Educators

  • IEO Team Leaders from any participating country
  • Economics educators applying through an official IEO sending organization
  • No more than 5 proposals per country
  • Participation may be in-person or online, subject to programme requirements
What to Submit

Types of Submissions

  • Lesson plans
  • Classroom activities
  • Teaching tools or resources
  • Syllabus components
  • Innovative classroom practices
  • Other educational resources suitable for sharing

Build Your Submission Package

Each submission should bring together a clear narrative of the innovation and enough supporting material for the committee — and, later, the global community — to put it into practice.

Materials in any language are welcome, but please provide an English version or English summary where applicable so resources can travel across the IEO community.

Preliminary registration opens in January 2027. Follow us on social media for updates.

Required elements

  • Title of innovation Required
  • Short abstract ≤ 250 words
  • Learning objectives Required
  • Target age / student group Required
  • Key economic concepts Required
  • Implementation & activities Required
  • Supporting materials Optional
  • English version / summary Where applicable

From Submission to Symposium — 2026

The steps and dates below describe the 2026 edition. The selection process for 2027 will be updated and announced before registration opens.

01

Submit

1 – 21 June 2026

Educators submit their proposals via the official submission portal during the open window.

02

Review

22 – 30 June 2026

The IEO Teaching Innovation Committee reviews all submissions against five criteria.

03

Finalists

Early July 2026

Twelve finalists — four per thematic panel — are announced and invited to the symposium.

04

Present

19 July 2026

Finalists present at the Teaching Innovation Symposium, joining panels and the awards ceremony.

CRITERIA · 01
Innovation & Originality
CRITERIA · 02
Educational Impact
CRITERIA · 03
Practicality & Transferability
CRITERIA · 04
Student Engagement Potential
CRITERIA · 05
Clarity & Quality
Panel members listening to a presentation at the 2026 forum
The 2026 selection process led to discussions with the forum panel

How the Symposium Unfolds

At the 2026 IEOx Educator Forum, selected finalists joined three thematic panels and a closing roundtable.

Three Panels.
One Global Conversation.

Each of the three thematic panels runs for 45 minutes and brings together four finalists, expert moderators, and a global audience of educators, students, and partners.

A final roundtable discussion may be organised to identify emerging themes and transferable ideas across classrooms and countries.

Preliminary registration opens in January 2027. Follow us on social media for updates.

45-minute panel sessions

Three thematic panels, each grouped around one area of teaching innovation.

Short finalist presentations

Each finalist briefly presents their innovation to the panel and audience.

Interactive discussion

Moderated discussion among finalists, drawing out comparisons and contrasts.

Audience Q&A

Open questions from the IEO community of educators, leaders, and partners.

Closing roundtable

A final discussion to surface transferable ideas across classrooms and countries.

Educator presenting to the forum during IEO 2026
A teaching innovation presentation at the 2026 forum

Celebrating Teaching Excellence

Awards are given both at the panel level and across the whole symposium — and all shortlisted resources are published as open access through IEO platforms.

Panel Awards
★
Panel 01

Best Innovation in Curriculum & Content

Awarded to the most original and impactful curriculum or content-level innovation.

★
Panel 02

Best Teaching Practice

Awarded for the most effective and replicable classroom teaching practice.

★
Panel 03

Best Student Learning & Engagement Initiative

Awarded for the strongest contribution to student learning and engagement.

Overall Recognition
♛
Grand Prize

IEO Teaching Innovation Award

The flagship recognition awarded to the most outstanding overall submission.

♥
Audience Choice

Audience Choice Award

Selected by the IEO community of educators, leaders, and partners attending the symposium.

✦
Rising Talent

Emerging Innovation Award

Recognising a particularly promising early-stage innovation with strong future potential.

Join us in 2027

Preliminary registration opens in January 2027. Follow us on social media to stay updated!