Skopje, 17 November 2023

The National Bank has announced the competition for the Annual Young Researchers Award for the best paper in the field of macroeconomics and banking for 2024. The prize aims to encourage the development of scientific thought and preparation of papers in the field of macroeconomics and banks and banking systems, as well as affirmation of young and professional staff.

Who can participate?

The citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia at the age up to 35 have the right to participate in the Competition. The employees in the National Bank and the members of the National Bank Council do not have the right to participate in the Competition.

What should the paper with which one applies contain?

The paper should also contain a review of the Macedonian economy on the appropriate topic. The paper should not exceed 80,000 characters with spaces (excluding footnotes, attachments, charts, tables, abstract, literature, annexes) and it is recommended to have a standard structure of scientific research, which contains the following main sections:

• abstract, as well as indication of the research area according to the standard classification (Journal of Economic Literature - JEL);
• review of the consulted literature from the area that is researched;
• description of the research methods that are used in the paper;
• analysis;
• final observations and
• literature.

Can one apply with a paper that has already been published?

The authors have the right to compete in the best research paper Competition with a paper that has already been published, but not before 1 January 2022. When submitting a paper that has already been published, the author should state when and where their paper was published.

How and where to submit the papers?

The papers shall be submitted to the National Bank with a label: "For the Annual Prize of the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia", electronically, in word format, at the email address: [email protected]. Besides the paper, the author should also submit biographical data. The submitted papers will be treated as confidential materials.

One author has the right to submit only one paper. The papers shall be submitted in Macedonian, Albanian or in English. 

According to which criteria will the papers be evaluated?

• Relevance of the researched area for the Macedonian case;
• Appropriateness of the review of the literature from the analyzed area;
• Clarity in the definition of the problem and the research goals;
• Appropriateness of the description of the context and the information (appropriateness of the analysis of the trends in the analyzed area in the Republic of North Macedonia);
• Appropriateness of the used statistical-econometric approach;
• Consistency and logic of the theses in the paper;
• Conclusions and recommendations and their appropriateness.

What is the submission deadline for the papers?

Paper submission deadline is 1 February 2024.

What does the Annual Prize consist of?

The prize is monetary, which is 100,000 denars for the first-awarded paper, while the second prize is 50 000 denars.

Where is the Competition published?

The Competition is published on the National Bank website.