IMA Sees Major International Response for the 2021 Student Case Competition
New Delhi: IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) today announced that it had received a tremendous response to the call for entries for its 10th annual Student Case Competition. The competition announced last year gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at the Grand Finals which will see winning teams from around the world go head to head to win the global first place title along with an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai.
In the Middle East, IMA® received 37 submissions from 29 different universities from UAE, KSA, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Oman – eight of which are participating in the competition for the first time.
In India, IMA® received more than 120 case reports from 50 Colleges/Universities across the country, out of which two teams from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi have been shortlisted for the regional finals. 2020 saw a considerable increase in interest with 1200 plus downloads from 200 plus universities and colleges, resulting in three times higher entries compared to last year. Students from Commerce, Engineering, Business and other domains participated in the contest. Emphasizing the importance of the annual competition, Hanadi Khalife, senior director of MEA & India operations at IMA®, said, “Every year, the IMA® Student Case Competition provides an opportunity for students to think strategically as they interpret, analyse, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate a solution to real life a business case problem. Students the world over see this as an opportunity to make their mark and showcase their business acumen. This year’s competition comes in the backdrop of the Covid19 pandemic that saw global lockdowns and unprecedented economic turmoil. Given that, the overwhelming response we have seen for the competition is truly gratifying. The main aim of this programme is to empower future finance and accounting professionals to better adapt to a changing business environment by bridging the skills gap through every touchpoint.”
Over the years, IMA® has challenged thousands of students from some of the top universities around the world and found a growing appetite amongst students looking to demonstrate their capabilities to take on big business problems. For its 10th year, IMA® invited eligible students from the region to solve a business case titled: “Should Star Textiles Cut Out Intermediaries?”
The winning teams will get to participate in the Team Mentorship Program with one of IMA’s local chapters. Each team member securing first, second and third positions will be awarded gift vouchers and the winning team members will also get the opportunity to engage in a face-to-face or virtual conversation with Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, IMA president and CEO.
Titled “Ace the Case – Prove Your Business Acumen” – the IMA® student case competition has received major praise by top multinationals in the region such as Hock International and IMA’s Riyadh Chapter who have come forward to support students in their journey, as Platinum and Gold sponsors respectively.
Details on the case study and participation criterion can also be accessed here: https://imamiddleeast.org/en/student-case-competition-2021/ .