Dubai College student wins International Economics Olympiad gold as the UAE secures its first individual gold medal at the prestigious global competition for high school students.
DUBAI: A 17-year-old student from Dubai College has made history after winning International Economics Olympiad gold, becoming the first competitor to earn an individual gold medal for the UAE at the prestigious global contest.
Ali-Mansur Valiyev, a Grade 12 student, secured the achievement after representing the UAE at the 2026 International Economics Olympiad, held in Shenzhen, China. The competition brought together more than 200 of the world’s top secondary school students from 56 countries across six continents to compete in economics, finance and business.
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Valiyev finished among the world’s top 20 competitors after successfully progressing through multiple stages of the Olympiad. Participants were assessed in a series of challenging rounds covering microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics, finance and a live business case presentation before a panel of judges.
The student said the achievement came after two years of dedicated preparation and several national selection rounds before earning one of five places on the UAE team.
“This medal means a great deal because I had the opportunity to represent the UAE on the global stage. Competing against some of the world’s best young economists was an incredible experience, and winning the country’s first individual gold medal at the Olympiad makes all the hard work worthwhile,” Valiyev said.
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Beyond winning International Economics Olympiad gold, Valiyev has established himself as a young entrepreneur and researcher focusing on economics, technology and sustainability.
He founded EcoEducation, a youth-led initiative that promotes sustainability, personal finance and global citizenship education. According to Valiyev, the platform has already reached more than 10,000 students through educational programmes, ambassador initiatives and school partnerships, with further expansion planned this summer.
The initiative has also developed collaborations with schools in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries, while extending its reach into India through partnerships with education organisations.
Alongside EcoEducation, Valiyev has launched several student-focused technology projects designed to connect learners with educational opportunities and collaborative initiatives. Collectively, these ventures have engaged students from more than 55 schools across 15 countries.
His academic work has also attracted international recognition, including contributions to IEEE research papers covering land allocation for Central Asian policymakers and machine learning applications for Alzheimer’s detection. Additional research has been selected for presentation at Carnegie Mellon University’s SBP-BRiMS conference and the Dubai Science Engineering and Economics Fair.
At Dubai College, Valiyev serves as president of the Dubai Keynes Society, Dubai CS Society and DC Sustainability Society, leading competitions, mentoring programmes and sustainability initiatives involving hundreds of students.
Looking ahead, the aspiring economist plans to continue exploring the intersection of economics, computer science and entrepreneurship while encouraging more UAE students to pursue international academic competitions following his International Economics Olympiad gold success.
Shaneer N. Siddiqui is the Managing Editor at TheBrewNews.com, with more than 20 years of experience in journalism, media, communication, and business strategy. A lifelong news enthusiast, he enjoys telling stories that inform, engage, and matter. Whether he’s following the latest developments or guiding the editorial team, Shaneer stays focused on bringing readers meaningful news. Outside the newsroom, he likes reading, exploring new ideas, and staying curious about the changing world of media.
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