Global Student Challenge 2019 finalists announced

The annual CIOB Global Student Challenge (GSC) is now hotting up as the final six competing for this prestigious title are announced. In this, the sixth year of the competition, in which teams act as a Board of Directors running their own construction company, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is announcing a genuinely global line up of finalists, with representation from not just six different institutes but from six different countries and four continents.

 The top six – and the only teams now remaining of the 39 who entered – are:

•Kanigara Banu - Universitas Indonesia

•KLMN Construction Group - George Brown College, Canada

•Resilient Construction - Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

•Toomer Oaks Construction - Auburn University, USA

•HOTPOT CREW - Chongqing University, China

•Design & CurStruct - Curtin University, Australia

 Since 2014, the competition has challenged built environment students to run their own virtual construction company. Teams are made up of full-time students studying a degree in the built environment. CIOB’s Global Student Challenge is a real test of construction industry know-how, taking place in stages over a number of months – there’s a “Foundation Years” stage, which kicks off in January. This is where teams learn how to play the game, running a virtual construction company in a simulated environment using the MERIT software*, testing out strategies and refining tactics for the competitive game. The “Early Years” stage starts a few weeks later, with teams playing competitively with other teams around the world, making decisions that influence the success of their companies.

 This is shaping up to be a particularly exciting final as the Kanigara Banu team are first time entrants but have been at the top of the leader board for the whole competition so far. Having said that, it has been closely fought as the team from George Brown College seek to recapture the title won by their predecessors last year. Resilient Construction are also in serious contention and very motivated as they regard themselves as the “home” team, with the winners to be announced at the annual CIOB’s Presidents Dinner in Edinburgh in June.

 You can track the success of the teams throughout the final stages of the competition – follow the CIOB’s Twitter feed for updates: @theCIOB 

 To be present to see which team will walk away with the Global Student Challenge title, and the £2000 in prize money for the winning team, join the CIOB at their Presidents Dinner on 27 June 2019. This special event will be held in the Signet Library, overlooking Parliament Square in Edinburgh. Tickets are on sale now and more information can be found on the CIOB web site: https://events.ciob.org/ehome/200186455

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

•*Teams compete at running a virtual construction company in a simulated environment using the MERIT software. Developed at Loughborough University, this software has been used to train young professionals since 1988 as part of in-course modules in degree programmes. It enables students to develop business management skills, requiring them to take decisions on staffing levels, estimating and bidding, managing cash flow and capital and seeking investment opportunities.

•The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is the world's largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership. The CIOB holds a Royal Charter to promote the science and practice of building and construction for the benefit of society, and has been doing that since 1834.

•The CIOB accredits university degrees, educational courses and training. Their professional and vocational qualifications are a mark of the highest levels of competence and professionalism, providing assurance to clients and other professionals procuring built assets. 

•CIOB members work worldwide in the development, conservation and improvement of the built environment.