Annual Economics Conference returns to Shrewsbury

On Thursday 13^th February, the Shrewsbury School Economics Society was proud to stage its annual Economics conference for 2024-25.

The theme of the conference asked the question “Are free markets are doomed to fail?”. Hosting 127 Lower Sixth economists including students from four visiting schools, the auditorium was filled with a buzz of excitement and anticipation. Our visiting schools included our regular guests, Shrewsbury 6^th Form College and Oswestry School, but we also had the pleasure of welcoming two schools visiting us for the first time in Newport Girls’ High School and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys.

We were extremely glad to welcome Julian Dean (Green Party Councillor for Shropshire Council) and Dr. Chris Snowdon (Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute for Economic Affairs) as our keynote speakers. They kicked the conference off with passionate speeches arguing from diametrically opposed perspectives, stimulating a healthy flourish of challenging questions from the floor at the end of each speech.

This was followed by a student team debate on a motion reflecting the conference theme. The teams comprised students from Shrewsbury School, Shrewsbury 6^th Form College, and Newport Girls’ Grammar School. Debaters from Shrewsbury School were Oliver T (R, LVI), Caspian C-L (Rt, LVI), Alanood A (MSH, LVI), Ismi X (G, LVI), Jayden L (SH, LVI), and Emi N (Rt, LVI). The audience, who were gripped by the debaters’ arguments and enthusiastic with their questions had the final say, voting for the winning team in the dramatic parliamentary style by filing out of different doors, and being kept in suspense until after lunch for the results.

In the afternoon, we were joined by two more speakers who joined Julian and Chris to form a panel from all across the political and economic spectrum to field questions from the audience. We welcomed Mr. Will Kenyon (retired partner of PWC and current governor of the school), and Mr Sterling Rosado (current Harvard fellow at Shrewsbury School).

The conference came “off theme” in the last session. This was where pupils who studied Economics at University shared their experiences and answered questions from the floor. The first of the presenters was Old Salopian Kate Veter (G, 2019-24), currently studying Economics at Imperial College, London, having been a star student at Shrewsbury last year. The second member of this panel was Mr Rosado who was able to give an interesting perspective of studying Economics in the US.

Throughout the day Cecilia T (QEH, LVI), and Gethin H (Ch, LVI), professionally delivered accurate introductions of speakers and the theme of the conference itself.

The event proved to be both extremely informative and enjoyable for all attending, igniting new enthusiasm for the subject.

Nick Zafar

Economics