Regional Bootcamp Prepares Top Economics Olympiad Finalists for International Stage

Narxoz University in Almaty hosted an intensive regional bootcamp for finalists of the Economics Olympiad. The week-long training brought together the brightest high school economics students from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, preparing them for the upcoming International Round of the Economics Olympiad to be held in Greece this August.

The bootcamp featured lectures and workshops led by renowned professors Randall K. Filer, Joe Calhoun and Yessengali Oskenbayev. Their engaging and rigorous sessions covered advanced economic theory, data analysis and real-world problem-solving – all designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel on the international stage.

Ten of the top-performing students from Kyrgyzstan were selected to attend the training. Among them, five students will go on to represent Kyrgyzstan at the International Economics Olympiad in Greece in August 2025.

“Without this trip, I wouldn't have understood what I was dealing with and would likely have miscalculated the preparation time – which means I wouldn’t have won the medal,” said Elmyrza Kanatbekov, one of the Kyrgyz finalists. “Now I know all this and I’m still aiming for a medal. I especially liked the professors – they explained everything very clearly, visually and dynamically.”

The University of Central Asia (UCA) plays a central role in organising the Economics Olympiad in Kyrgyzstan. Through a multi-stage process including school and national rounds, UCA identifies the top 10 students from across the country. These students are then invited to attend regional trainings such as the one held in Almaty. The five highest-ranked participants from Kyrgyzstan are selected to compete in the International Round.

This initiative is part of the broader Economic Literacy Project, implemented by UCA and funded by the Economic Fundamentals Initiative (EFI). The project aims to enhance economic understanding among youth in Central Asia and foster analytical thinking, financial literacy and global competitiveness.