Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies in Finland
Bank of Finland
Federation of Finnish Financial Services
Antti Luukkanen from Helsingin normaalilyseo lukio school, Helsinki won the Economic Guru 2013 competition designed for senior high school pupils. Joona Suhonen from Tampereen klassillinen lukio school, Tampere came in second and Jaakko Markkanen from Äänekosken lukio school, Äänekoski was third. Ten competitors qualified for the finals held in Helsinki on 28 February – 1 March 2013. Approximately 900 pupils from 120 senior high schools from across Finland participated in the preliminary round held in Helsinki on 16 January 2013. Organised already for the 16th time, the aim of the Economic Guru competition is to increase senior high school pupils' knowledge of economic matters.
The final competition consisted of a written and an oral round. In the written round of the competition, the finalists had to write an essay on support for companies and other ways in which the public sector could promote business life in Finland. For the oral round of the competition the finalists were divided into pairs to debate such issues as whether consumers make rational decisions about their own economic matters and is it more sensible to live in housing one owns oneself or rented accommodation.
The Economic Guru challenge is organised jointly by the Bank of Finland, the Federation of Finnish Financial Services (FFI) and the Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies in Finland (HYOL). It is also supported by to the Association of Finnish Economic Correspondents and the Union of Finnish Upper Secondary School Students.
The three top finalists were each awarded with a cash prize (EUR 1,000, EUR 500, EUR 250). In addition, the winner's school gets to keep the competition's challenge trophy, an authentic doctoral hat, for a year. All the finalists received an economics-related magazine and book.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
• Jere Huovinen, Kastellin lukio, Oulu
• Mikko Ilmonen, Ressun lukio, Helsinki
• Jussi Lundstedt, Turun normaalikoulu, Turku
• Antti Luukkanen, Helsingin normaalilyseo, Helsinki
• Jaakko Markkanen, Äänekosken lukio, Äänekoski
• Lucas Mattsson, Ålands Lyceum, Mariehamn
• Eemil Nuuttila, Etelä-Tapiolan lukio, Espoo
• Julius Rissanen, Munkkiniemen yhteiskoulu, Helsinki
• Joona Suhonen, Tampereen klassillinen lukio, Tampere
• Pauli Xu, Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu, Helsinki
Finland's schools of economics have also shown interest in the successful competitors in the Economic guru competition. The pupils who have ranked highest in the competition have qualified to apply directly for a place at the Aalto University School of Business, the University of Helsinki, Economics and Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics as well as the Swedish speaking Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki.
For further information, please contact:
Iina Lario, Communications Officer, Bank of Finland, tel. +358 10 831 2689.
Kristiina Siikala, Head of Communications, Federation of Finnish Financial Services, tel.+358 20 793 4273.
Kirsi Ruhanen, Head of the Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies HYOL ry,
tel. +358 44 303 1789.