Academic WorldQuest
San Diego's premier high school international affairs competition
About the Competition
What is Academic WorldQuest?
Academic WorldQuest (AWQ) is a national high school competition organized by World Affairs Councils of America that challenges students to deepen their understanding of global issues. Teams of four students compete by answering questions across ten topic areas — from international security and diplomacy to economics, geography, and culture.
The San Diego World Affairs Council hosts the regional competition each year, bringing together high school teams from across the greater San Diego area. The regional winning team earns the opportunity to represent San Diego at the national Academic WorldQuest competition in Washington, D.C.
2026 Topic Areas
The 2026 competition will cover ten topics spanning international affairs, global policy, economics, culture, and current events:
- U.S. Foreign Policy
- Global Security & Conflict
- International Economics & Trade
- Climate & the Environment
- Global Health
- Technology & Cyber Policy
- Human Rights & Democracy
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Geography & World Cultures
- Current Events
* Official topic areas are announced each fall by World Affairs Councils of America. Topics above are representative and subject to change.
UPCOMING COMPETITIONS
2027 Competition
San Diego Competition: February 27, 2027
Location: TBD
National Competition: April 12-13, 2027
Location: Washington, DC
Each school may register up to two teams of four students, with one alternate per team.
The winning San Diego team will have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to represent San Diego in the national Academic WorldQuest competition.
Thanks to the generous supporters of the David Edick Jr. Academic WorldQuest Scholarship Fund, the winning team will receive financial support for airfare, hotel accommodations, and incidentals for a group of five — four competing team members plus their educational sponsor.
.png)
