A global network built by students, for students.
Structure
Student-led academic org
Core Activity
Discussion-based education
Scope
12 countries, 5 continents
Age Range
14–18 (high school)
Cost
Free — $0 to join or start
IES is an international network of independent, student-run high school chapters focused on understanding how global economic systems, policies, and events affect everyday life across countries and communities.
Unlike traditional economics clubs, IES emphasizes accessibility, real-world application, and cross-border collaboration. No prerequisites, no fees, no exclusivity.
Accessibility First
No prior coursework, no funding, no guest speakers required. Designed for every school, in every country.
Institutional Structure
Unified international framework with local autonomy. Consistent, credible, and scalable across borders.
International Reach
16 chapters across 12 countries on 5 continents. Real cross-border collaboration, not just a name.
Why IES Exists
Economic decisions influence everything from global stability to local opportunity, yet most high school students never get the chance to explore these ideas in a structured, accessible way. Existing programs tend to emphasize technical theory, competition rankings, or exclusivity — limiting who actually participates.
IES was founded by a team of secondary school students who saw this gap firsthand. They built an organization where any student, at any school, in any country could start a chapter and begin engaging with economics through discussion, not memorization.
Each chapter is student-led, faculty-advised, and built around in-person, discussion-based programming. Sessions cover real-world topics — trade policy, inflation, labor markets, development — and emphasize participation over lecturing.
Chapters operate locally while contributing to shared international initiatives: competitions across three formats, a peer-reviewed research journal, and regular cross-border programming. The model balances local autonomy with international consistency.
No tuition, no application fees, no prerequisites. IES is specifically designed to minimize barriers — for students starting chapters, for members joining them, and for faculty advisors supervising them.
How It Works
Join the network
Start a chapter at your school or explore partnership opportunities.