Colleagues at the University of Liverpool Management School (ULMS) have been recognised with a Learning and Teaching and Student Experience Award for delivering an innovative international forecasting competition in partnership with the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU).
The ULMS–IBSS Business Forecasting Championships 2025 brought together around 50 students from both institutions, forming 10 teams to take part in a dynamic, real-world financial challenge. The competition provided students with the opportunity to apply financial theory and analytical techniques to live market data in a highly engaging and competitive environment.
Running from March to May 2025, the Championships required each team to select a FTSE 100 company and forecast its stock price over a six-week period. The competition was structured across three forecasting phases, enabling teams to refine and adjust their predictions as market conditions evolved.
The programme concluded with a grand finale and awards ceremony held in May 2025 at IBSS on the XJTLU campus. The top three teams were recognised for their performance, with certificates awarded to all participants and a trophy presented to the winning team.
Dr Ahmed Al-Abdin said: “This competition was designed to provide students with a meaningful opportunity to apply forecasting theory in a live market setting. It was impressive to see the level of engagement throughout the six-week challenge and how rapidly students developed both their confidence and analytical skills. We are proud of what this collaboration has achieved and look forward to building on its success in Semester Two.”
Dr Linjia Zhang added: “The Championships offered students a valuable insight into the pace and complexity of financial markets, while strengthening their teamwork and analytical capabilities. It has been rewarding to witness their progression across each stage of the competition. Our partnership with ULMS has created a strong model of international collaborative learning that we are keen to develop further.”
Following the success of the inaugural event, plans are underway to run the competition again, with participation expected to increase to between 70 and 80 students.