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A Dubai teenager who says he fell in love with economics simply by trying to make sense of the news has become the first student to win an individual gold medal for the UAE at the International Economics Olympiad.

Ali-Mansur Valiyev, 17, a Grade 12 student at Dubai College, beat more than 200 students from 56 countries to claim gold at this year's competition, following two years of training, national qualifiers and independent study.

"I was always interested in reading about businesses and understanding what was happening in the world," Valiyev told Khaleej Times. "A lot of it was the news. Economics gave me the tools to understand what was happening around me, how it affects communities and how it applies to my own life."

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His interest began long before economics became a school subject. While still in middle school, he started reading about business and global affairs before formally studying economics in Grade 9.

Two-year journey

Valiyev's journey to the Olympiad began in Grade 10, when he joined the UAE training programme after qualifying from a pool of thousands of applicants. Over the following two years, he attended online training camps, sat multiple selection exams and eventually secured one of only five places on the UAE national team.

The Olympiad tested students across economics, finance and business through three rounds, including a multiple-choice examination, an essay analysing real-world economic issues such as artificial intelligence and development, and a business case in which participants acted as consultants assessing whether the UAE should establish a new economic free zone.

Valiyev described the final consulting challenge as the toughest part of the competition. "We had just one full day to prepare. We worked from early morning until late at night, making sure our proposal was economically sound and thinking through every trade-off," he said.

Beyond the classroom

While the official training camps provided a foundation, Valiyev said much of his preparation happened alone.

"The lessons were really helpful, but they definitely weren't enough," he said.

"I had to take the initiative to study independently without anyone pushing me. In the Olympiad, almost anything can come up, so I challenged myself to explore topics that interested me and go far beyond the curriculum."

He admitted sacrificing evenings for online training sessions but said the experience ultimately taught him how to manage his time rather than give up everything else.

"I learnt to balance it, waking up earlier, studying consistently and still making time for myself," he said.

'Effort paid off'

Although he travelled to the Olympiad hoping to perform well, Valiyev said he never expected to leave with the country's first individual gold.

The medal ceremony was held online, with winners announced category by category.

"They announced bronze, then silver, then gold. I was one of the last people they called for gold," he recalled.

"I was sitting with my mum. I was wondering if my name would be called, so it was an amazing experience. After two years of work, it felt like all the effort had paid off."

Ali-Mansur Valiyev (middle) 

Looking ahead

Outside school, Valiyev has founded EcoEducation, an initiative that teaches personal finance, sustainability and global citizenship to underserved students, reaching more than 10,000 learners through online courses and community ambassadors.

The project began in Uzbekistan, where part of his family lives, after he noticed that many young people lacked access to educational opportunities available elsewhere.

"My goal is to provide the same opportunities that I have here in the UAE to students in Central Asia," he said.

He also conducts research spanning economics, artificial intelligence and public policy, including work aimed at improving land-use planning in Central Asia and developing more affordable methods of Alzheimer's screening after witnessing healthcare challenges in rural communities during visits to the region.

Looking ahead, Valiyev hopes to study economics and computer science at university in either the UK or the US, combining both disciplines to develop practical solutions to real-world problems.

"My goal is to build tools and products that help people," he said. "I want to use what I've learnt to make an impact."

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