11th Annual Conference - Contests: Theory and Evidence

Hosted by the Behavioural Business Lab and the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing at RMIT University, this conference welcomes theoretical and empirical submissions on contests from a wide range of disciplines—including economics, political science, psychology, management, sports, biology, neuroscience, and computer science.

17-18 September 2025

The Behavioural Business Lab and the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing at RMIT University are pleased to host the 11th Annual Conference “Contests: Theory and Evidence”. We invite submissions of theoretical and empirical work related to contests in any discipline, including but not limited to economics, political science, psychology, management, sports, biology, neuroscience, and computer science. The conference will be held in person only.

Keynote speakers

Photo of Victoria Prowse

Victoria Prowse

Victoria Prowse is an empirical microeconomist specializing in experimental economics, labor, and public economics. Her research explores how cognitive skills, preferences, and behavioral factors influence effort, learning, and human capital investments. She conducts laboratory and field experiments to study decision-making related to education, labor supply, teamwork, goal-setting, and ethical behavior. Her work also evaluates the impact of public policies and interventions on economic outcomes. Prowse holds the Marge Magner Chair and is a Professor of Economics at Purdue University, with affiliations at IZA and DIW Berlin. She earned her Doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford. 

Photo of Qiang Fu

Qiang Fu

Qiang Fu is an economist. He graduated from Guanghua School of Management, Peking University in 1998. He pursued his graduate study of economics at Indiana University, Bloomington from 2000 to 2005, and obtained his Ph.D. in economics. Qiang joined NUS Business School, National University of Singapore in 2005 for an academic career.

As an applied game theorist, his research focuses on the economics of contests and tournaments, as well as industrial organization and economics of bureaucratic reputation. His research was published at various leading outlets, such as American Economic Review, Theoretical Economics, AEJ: Microeconomics, Journal of Economic Theory, Journal of Public Economics, Marketing Science, and Games and Economic Behaviour.

Program

Conference sessions: Wednesday and Thursday, 17-18 September

Conference dinner: Wednesday, 17 September (presenters only)

Program details: TBA

Paper submission

Important dates

Submission deadline: 1 June, 2025

Registration deadline: 17 August, 2025

Registration

Registration will open once decisions have been communicated.

There is no registration fee. However, all participants, including non-presenters, are required to register in advance to confirm their attendance.

Organisers & Contact

Jingjing Zhang, Qin Wu, Dmitry Ryvkin

E-Mail: contest2025@rmit.edu.au

Venue

The conference will be held at the RMIT University city campus in Melbourne CBD (street address: TBA).

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.