UBC Global Masters Postgraduate Business Challenge
Congratulations to Loughborough University who won a very competitive UBC Global Masters 2018-19 Grand Final hosted at Regents University London on Saturday 9 March 2019
Helping postgraduates achieve their personal best career aspirations
In response to requests from many universities following the success of the UBC Worldwide Undergraduate Business Challenge in developing employability, enterprise and entrepreneurial skills over the past 20 years, the UBC Global Masters Postgraduate Challenge was launched with great success in 2018.
UBC Global Masters format and content is designed to help develop the business skills required by Postgraduates in the following situations:
- Return to a family business: postgraduate students, especially international students, very often plan to work in a family business and the UBC Global Masters can help them add value to the business
- Business start-up: where they plan to set up their own business when they finish their studies the UBC Global Masters develops an entrepreneurial mindset
- Research IP: where postgraduates are wanting to turn research IP into a sustainable enterprise which requires the kind of business skills developed by the UBC
- Corporate / Public-sector role: where postgraduates are moving into a corporate or a public-sector role and need the employability skills developed by the UBC which will help them secure a suitable role
- Team-working: being a postgraduate student can be isolating and putting postgrads together in a team / group can be seen as beneficial in itself
- Networking / building relationships: the UBC Global Masters provides the opportunity to network, share experience and learning as well as building relationships with other postgrads from across the university and, in the latter stages of the competition, from other universities
- Sustainable value creation: The UBC Global Masters provides the opportunity to engage with our corporate partners to learn about strategies for sustainable value creation
What is the Universities Business Challenge (UBC) Postgraduate Global Masters?
Commencing in October this year and run over two rounds through to March the following year, the UBC Global Masters offers postgraduates a unique opportunity to develop the skills that they will need when they move on from campus to corporate/public sector life.
Whether progressing to work for a large multinational corporate, taking on a public-sector role, returning to run a family-owned business or setting up a new enterprise, postgraduates need to hone their skills in making the strategic and operational decisions that create value for their organisation.
The UBC Postgraduate Global Masters provides an opportunity for personal and professional development that is intellectually challenging and practically relevant, equipping participants with essential skills. Working in competitive teams enables peer to peer learning and interaction.
The Global Masters is a simulation-based competition specifically designed to develop the employability skills of high-calibre postgraduate students. World-class business simulations give the opportunity to run a series of businesses enabling the development of an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ and providing a real test of each team’s ability to drive business performance.
How does the Global Masters Challenge Work?
The UBC is a team-based business simulation event that provides participants with the opportunity to act as a board of directors who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company. They will need to take into account not only the financial performance of the company, but also its responsibilities to its various stakeholders including its suppliers, its customers and its employees.
Postgraduate teams of up to five members from universities compete to achieve maximum profit, acquire market share and enhance stakeholder ratings. The Universities Business Challenge starts in October when each team will be given details of the simulated company, its markets and its current financial position.
Each team’s decisions, that are vital to the Company’s success, are uploaded on-line via the UBC website. Each decision period will represent six months in the life of the company. There will be six weekly decision periods. Along with the results of each decision period, teams will receive a scenario outlining events and issues outside and inside the company which are likely to impact on its business. At the end of each financial year, the balance sheets for all companies will be made available to all teams so that they can see how they are measuring up to the competition. For those who want to, there is also the chance to purchase market research information.
Two-round format:
Round 1:
Commencing in late October the first round will be internet-based and teams will be challenged to run a developing consumer electronics business in a competitive environment - where innovation drives performance - making decisions that will impact on business success. Round 1 will test the operational as well as the strategic abilities of each team.
Round 2 Grand Final:
Top teams from Round 1 will proceed to a prestigious one-day Grand Final event based in London in March 2020. This event will be focussed on a major strategic challenge for creating value in organisations. For example, this might be Delivering Value through Mergers & Acquisitions or Building Value in your Start-up Enterprise.
The UBC Global Masters will:
- Develop the core skills and leadership competencies that every global manager needs, building new skill sets and enhancing existing expertise.
- Test initiative, stimulate creativity, demand energy, intellect and enthusiasm.
- Build increased confidence and polished communication as individuals work in their teams refining and applying their analytical, negotiation and influencing skills.
- Support entrepreneurial innovators enabling them to formulate, develop, and commercialise their ideas.
Who can participate?
The Challenge is open to all Postgraduates (Masters including MBAs, Taught PhDs and Research PhDs, enrolled in higher education courses, whatever their area of study).
Teams will consist of up to a maximum of five members.
Trophy and Recognition:
A progressive UBC Global Masters trophy will be held by the winning university team for the next twelve months and the team will be offered a work-shadowing opportunity with a prestigious corporate executive team.
2018-19 Winners:
Loughborough University with runners-up in the Grand Final: Dundee, UEA, Cambridge, DeMontfort and Regents London
