On 1 March this year, two teams consisting of members from the University of Bristol Business School and School of Economics, were delighted to attend the semi-finals of the Universities Business Challenge held in London.
One team of five students, and one of four, made the journey to London after their work in the first round of the competition was recognised as being worthy of a semi-final place.
About the Competition
Our students should be very proud of what they achieved. After all, The Universities Business Challenge is a well-regarded and challenging academic competition, which invites undergraduate and postgraduate students from universities across the UK to engage in real-world business scenarios and activities designed to improve their employability skills.
The competition is supported by leading universities and graduate employers, over 35,000 students have benefitted from taking part in the UBC Worldwide Challenge since 1998.
The Semi-Finals
After the initial first round, which was an online trading simulation, the top teams from around the country were invited to the in-person event. It really ran them through their paces!
The semi-finals involved a scored networking event where participants had to meet people and find out things in common.
This was followed by a business challenge where teams were tasked with creating a business (a coffee shop) and had to make, and report, key financial decisions. The teams then had to do a 60 second presentation in a medium of their choosing. In addition, there were some really engaging talks from entrepreneurs speaking about their career journeys and about the subject of the moment- AI.
Results
Although the teams from University of Bristol didn’t get a place in the final, one of the teams won best presentation- no mean feat. They even got a box of chocolates as a prize!
Overall, both of the teams’ performance was excellent, and their team-working, interpersonal skills and professionalism was commented upon on the day.
The experience was a really positive one for everyone involved and we are sure the students will be able to use what they learned in many of their future endeavours. A hearty well done to the teams!
Next Year
If you are studying in the Business School or School of Economics, and you would like to take part next year, keep your eyes open for promotional material from September.
You can find out more about the competition on the UBC website