Undergraduate and master’s students at Goce Delcev University – Stip have the opportunity to express their views, creativity and analytical skills by participating in the essay competition on the topic “The Future of Corruption 2036: Integrity, Good Governance and Accountability”, organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje.
The authors of the three best essays will receive IT equipment as prizes. The deadline for submitting essays is 25 November 2026.
A Challenge for Young People: What Will the Fight Against Corruption Look Like in Ten Years?
Building on the recent series of anti-corruption masterclasses, in which students from Goce Delcev University also actively participated, the OSCE encourages young people to think creatively, critically and with a vision for the future.
The central question that participants are expected to address is: “How might corruption evolve in the future, and what can societies do today to build a stronger culture of integrity and accountability?”
Rather than following the format of a traditional academic paper, students are free to adopt a creative approach and write in one of the following formats:
- Future scenarios exploring corruption and transparency in 2036;
- Narrative essays or letters from the future examining the consequences of today’s decisions;
- Public policy recommendations from a future-oriented perspective;
- Fictional newspaper articles or diary entries from the year 2036.
Technical Requirements and Evaluation Criteria
To be eligible for evaluation by the four-member academic committee, essays must meet the following requirements:
- Language and format: Essays must be written in English, using Times New Roman font (size 12, line spacing 1.15), and submitted in PDF format.
- Length: Strictly between 1,400 and 1,600 words (approximately three pages). Submissions exceeding this word limit will not be considered.
- Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI tools may only be used to support research or language editing, but not to generate the text or arguments. Any use of AI must be transparently disclosed in a brief statement at the end of the essay.
- Anonymity: The author’s first and last name must not appear anywhere in the document. This information should be provided exclusively in the body of the email.
The committee will evaluate the essays on a maximum of 100 points, distributed equally across four categories (25 points each): originality and creativity, understanding of the subject matter, future-oriented critical thinking, and the quality of the proposed recommendations.
Online Information Session and Application Procedure
One week before the submission deadline, the OSCE Mission will organize an online information session via Zoom for all interested students. During the session, more detailed guidance will be provided on how to prepare a competitive essay.
To receive the meeting link and information about the exact date and time of the session, as well as to submit completed essays, students should contact the following email address: **arben.ajrulai@osce.org**.
For more information, please visit the following link:
