An outstanding team from Essex Business School at the University of Essex has beaten 310 teams from universities throughout the UK to win the Grand Final of this year’s IBM backed Universities Business Challenge – the premier business competition for university students in the UK.
The team from Essex Business School included second year BA Accounting and Finance student Craig Cumming, second year BSc Management student Georgi Dimitrov, second year BSc Management student Kalina Georgieva, second year BA Accounting and Finance student Hu Jiaxing and third year BA Accounting and Finance student Li Peiyao. The team was supported on the day by Essex Business School Director Professor Michael Sherer.
The winning team with Essex Business School director Professor Michael Sherer
The Grand Final held at IBM’s offices on London’s South Bank was contested by ten teams who had won through to the third round of the challenge with Essex Business School’s team winning the overall title with the University of Glamorgan coming second and Leeds Metropolitan University securing third place.
Team captain Craig Cumming said: "The competition is a great opportunity to develop your business skills, and your business awareness, while having lots of fun”. Fellow team member Georgi Dimitrov added: “It’s a good opportunity to develop your interpersonal communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills.”
The Universities Business Challenge, the world’s leading event for employability and enterprise skills, attracted a total of 310 teams from more than 70 universities throughout the UK.
The annual event is run by Learning Dynamics and offers undergraduates the opportunity to take part in a team-based competitive event that helps develop their employability, enterprise and entrepreneurial skills, thus preparing them for the corporate workplace or a start-up enterprise.
Commencing in October each year and run over three rounds through to March, the UBC offers undergraduates within universities a unique opportunity to improve their knowledge of the business world, put theory into practice and develop their team-working, leadership, employability and enterprise skills.
Participating students adopt the role of board directors in a series of realistic, simulated companies, making all the critical business decisions that affect the company's performance.
The Learning Dynamics simulations used in the UBC are world-class, varied and challenging, ranging from manufacturing to service businesses to ensure a rounded experience.
The UBC attracts participants across a wide range of faculties from UK universities as its role in helping develop employability and enterprise skills is increasingly recognised.
Further information can be found at: www.uk.ubcworldwide.com