Aston undergraduates win UK business challenge

The team of four students from the School of Engineering and Applied Science took first place – and a cash prize of £1,000 – in the IBM Universities Business Challenge after beating off competition from a record 1,400 students from 75 institutions.

The UBC provides students with the opportunity of acting as a team of business consultants who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company.

The simulation begins in October, when details of the company are given, and ends in March when final balance sheets for each team are revealed.

The Aston University team had the highest overall total for their company by more than  £100,000.     

The challenge, in its tenth year, aims to help students improve their decision-making skills, develop their team-working abilities and increase their knowledge of key business areas. 

Maureen Tibby, head of the Careers and Employability Centre at Aston University, said; “We are very proud to have won first place in such an established national competition. The IBM UBC initiative is a fantastic learning experience that helps the students to improve their employability skills, helping them make the transition from university to the world of work.”