Founding

Founding

Here is our story, a little more in detail 🙂

Bakermat

On a cold Wednesday in February 1999, the very first Econometric Game took place in Amsterdam. What began as a relatively small national event has since evolved into a well-respected international competition. Coming year, the Dutch capital will proudly host the twenty-seventh Econometric Game. With highly prestigious participants, a rising academic profile, and challenging econometric cases with real social significance, the Econometric Game remains a unique and worthwhile event.

First edition

In 1999, the VSAE organized the inaugural Econometric Game. The University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam each sent teams of six econometrics students who were challenged to apply their talents and skills to solve a case competitively. The VSAE collaborated with leading companies such as ING, DNB, and PWC to develop an econometric case about financial markets. The case was prepared by Prof. Dr. J.F. Kiviet, Dr. J.A.C. Van Ophem, and Prof. Dr. H.P. Boswijk, all affiliated with the University of Amsterdam. A jury of experts evaluated the solutions and named the University of Amsterdam the proud winner of the first edition.

Growth of the Econometric Game

The Econometric Game grew steadily each year. In 2000, three additional Dutch universities joined the two Amsterdam teams. The first international team participated in 2001, coming from Belgium. They joined five Dutch teams in tackling a case on the stability of demand for money before and after German unification. The 2001 edition marked the beginning of a trend toward internationalization, which continues today. The National Econometric Game became the European Econometric Game, welcoming teams from Belgium (Universities of Antwerp and Ghent), France (University of Lille), and Denmark (University of Aarhus). The 2002 edition saw the first international winner: the University of Ghent! Over the following years, many other foreign universities participated. The 2009 debut of New York University, Boston University, and Monash University meant that, for the first time, participants came from three different continents. This milestone cemented the Econometric Game’s status as a global event.

The increasing number of participants prompted program expansion. In 2006, the event was extended from one to two days, allowing teams more time to delve into the case and present stronger solutions. A third day was added in 2009. The ten finalists announced on the second day were challenged to solve an additional case, while other teams explored the beautiful city of Amsterdam. In 2010, the first Econometric Game Congress was held on the third day, featuring inspiring speakers and presentations by the finalists. The winner was announced during a party at the event’s close.

Nowadays

Since 2012, over thirty universities have participated annually. The event’s popularity has grown so much that it is sometimes called the World Championship of Econometrics. We take great pride in living up to this reputation, and we’re succeeding! Stay updated on the latest news and information via LinkedIn or Instagram.