Application Deadline: May 24, 2025 at 16:00 CET

Applications are now open for the 2025 Peter Drucker Challenge Essay Contest. The 2025 Drucker Challenge is dedicated to the memory of social philosopher Charles Handy, who passed away in December 2024. Inspired by Peter Drucker and an influential management thinker himself, he shared his wisdom and insights at successive editions of the Global Peter Drucker Forum from its launch in 2009.

Theme

• The ‘Second Curve’ in Life and Business: How to best navigate the Cycles of Growth and Renewal?

Requirements

• Open to students and young professionals from all around the world
• Essay Format: A personal narrative essay that may be underpinned by research
• Age: You must be between 18 and 35 years old, inclusive.
•  Previous Participation: You are eligible to participate if you previously placed between 11th and 15th in a past Challenge contest. However, if you were a former winner or ranked between 2nd and 10th, you are not eligible to participate.
• Essay category requirements: You can submit one essay in either the Student or Professional category. (Please mention your main occupation in the submission form)
• Student category: Open to part-time, gap-year or full-time students (Bachelor’s, Master’s, MBA, or PhD) or those seeking their first opportunity after completing their last degree.
• Professional category: Open to managers of people, projects, budgets and/or processes; entrepreneurs or business owners; licensed professionals; social volunteers or community leaders.

Essay Format

• Word Count: 1,500 to 3,000 words (excluding footnotes and graphics
• File Format: PDF or Word document
• Font Size: 12 points

Gold Award Winner Drucker Challenge 2025

(Those who placed First in the Student or Professional category)

YOUR EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS

• Cash prize: 2.000 EUR
• Complimentary Pass: In-person access to the 17^th Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, held at the Hofburg Vienna on November 6 – 7, 2025
• Visa: Invitation letter and support for visa application provided by the organizers
• Travel & Accommodation (as per the Forum’s travel process and policy)
• Lump sum that covers flight and local transport costs;
• Booking and payment of your accommodation from November 5 – 8, 2025; 

Exclusive Invitations to join

• Meet & Greet lunch, Workshops and Masterclasses on the Pre-Conference Day (November 5, 2025);
• Gala Event with Awards Ceremony (November 6, 2025);
• Challenge Breakfast (November 8, 2025)

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Special Recognition Award for the most original essay: Opportunity to win 300 EUR;
• Official Certificate with ranking;
• Invitation to join the Drucker Challenge Community on social media networks;
• One-Year digital subscription to Harvard Business Review;
• Publication: Ranking list, link to your essay, your photo and bio to be featured on www.druckerchallenge.org. Your essay may also be republished by your university or company with appropriate credits to Peter Drucker Society Europe    

Silver Award
Drucker Challenge 2025

(Those who placed Second in the Student or Professional category)

YOUR EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS

• Cash prize: 1.200 EUR
• Complimentary Pass: In-person access to the 17^th Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, held at the Hofburg Vienna on November 6 – 7, 2025
• Visa: Invitation letter and support for visa application provided by the organizer
• Travel & Accommodation (as per the Forum’s travel process and policy)
• Lump sum that covers flight and local transport costs;
• Booking and payment of your accommodation from November 5 – 8, 2025;

Exclusive Invitations to join

• Meet & Greet lunch, Workshops and Masterclasses on the Pre-Conference Day (November 5, 2025);  
• Gala Event with Awards Ceremony (November 6, 2025);
• Challenge Breakfast (November 8, 2025)

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Special Recognition Award for the most original essay: Opportunity to win 300 EUR;
• Official Certificate with ranking;
• Invitation to join the Drucker Challenge Community on social media networks;
• One-Year digital subscription to Harvard Business Review;
• Publication: Ranking list, link to your essay, your photo and bio to be featured on www.druckerchallenge.org. Your essay may also be republished by your university or company with appropriate credits to Peter Drucker Society Europe

Bronze Award Drucker Challenge 2025

(Those who are placed Third in the Student or Professional category)

YOUR EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS

• Cash prize: 1.000 EUR
• Complimentary Pass: In-person access to the 17^th Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, held at the Hofburg Vienna on November 6 – 7, 2025
• Visa: Invitation letter and support for visa application provided by the organizer
• Travel & Accommodation (as per the Forum’s travel process and policy)
• Lump sum that covers flight and local transport costs;
• Booking and payment of your accommodation from November 5 – 8, 2025;

Exclusive Invitations to join

• Meet & Greet lunch, Workshops and Masterclasses on the Pre-Conference Day (November 5, 2025);
• Gala Event with Awards Ceremony (November 6, 2025);
• Challenge Breakfast (November 8, 2025)
   

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Special Recognition Award for the most original essay:  Opportunity to win 300 EUR;
• Official Certificate with ranking;
• Invitation to join the Drucker Challenge Community on social media networks;
• One-Year digital subscription to Harvard Business Review;
• Publication: Ranking list, link to your essay, your photo and bio to be featured on www.druckerchallenge.org. Your essay may also be republished by your university or company with appropriate credits to Peter Drucker Society Europe

Those who ranked Fourth to Tenth Drucker Challenge 2025 in the Student or Professional category

YOUR BENEFITS

• Cash prize: 500 EUR
• Special Recognition Award for the most original essay: Opportunity to win 300 EUR;
• Certificate with ranking;
• Invitation to join the Drucker Challenge Community on social media networks;
• One-year digital subscription to the Harvard Business Review;
• Publication: Ranking list, link to your essay, your photo and bio on www.druckerchallenge.org. Your essay may be re-published by your university/company with credits given to Peter Drucker Society Europe.

Submission Procedure:

Go to SUBMISSION in the main menu, fill in the form and upload your essay.

In case you encounter problems with uploading, please send your file and information to [email protected]

BEFORE  May 24, 2025 at 16:00 CET

Please note:

• NO entry fees to be paid
• Authors from all around the world are invited to submit their essays

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Peter Drucker Challenge Essay Contest