26 Aug 2026
Hosted by Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), co-organised with Engma Group as the competition’s industry ecosystem partner, and supported by the XJTLU Career Centre, the 2026 Global Business Case Competition concluded came to a close on 23 August at Engma Group’s headquarters in Suzhou.
Centred on the theme "Designing Engma Group’s Global ESG Strategy", the competition connected academic insight with industry practice by challenging students to engage with a real-world business issue. In doing so, it aimed to develop participants’ global outlook, strategic thinking and ability to apply their knowledge to complex environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges.
This year’s competition attracted 1,172 participants from 342 teams across 171 universities in 19 countries and regions worldwide. Following rigorous preliminary and semi-final rounds, 12 teams advanced to the finals, delivering an exciting and highly competitive showcase. The final was hosted by Linlin Xie, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer at IBSS, who helped create and engaging and professional atmosphere throughout the event.
Recognising outstanding performance
After multiple rounds of evaluation, one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes were awarded. The winners were as follows:
- First Prize (Champion): Team "Trihard", a mixed team comprising students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Southeast University, and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, received a RMB 10,000 prize and an Engma Group internship fast-pass.
- Second Prize: Two teams – "Stay rich" and "Smash the Others" – composed of students from Duke Kunshan University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, each received RMB 3,000 and an Engma Group internship fast-pass.
- Third Prize: Three teams received awards, including Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s team "Dream Chasers", Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University team "Tay (An) Du Ky", and National Economics University team "Hui Yuan". Each received RMB 1,000 and an Engma Group internship fast-pass.
In addition, all six winning teams in the finals received internship fast-passes from Engma Group, offering valuable opportunities for their future career development.
University-industry collaboration in action
The success of this competition was made possible through close collaboration between the organisers and partners. IBSS led the planning and delivery of the competition, working closely with Engma Group and the XJTLU Career Centre, ensuring a solid foundation for the competition.
Linlin Xie, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer at IBSS
In his final-round address, Wenqing Wu, Director of Brand and Marketing Promotion and General Manager of New Business Division at Engma Group, highly commended the competition and reiterated the company’s commitment to university-industry collaboration. He said the competition had generated valuable ideas for Engma Group’s future ESG strategy while demonstrating the innovative and practical capabilities of the younger generation in the field of global sustainable development.
Wenqing Wu, Director of Brand and Marketing Promotion and General Manager of New Business Division at Engma Group
Lei Zhang, Marketing Manager of Engma Group’s Brand and Marketing Promotion Department, also praised the student’s performance and reflected on her involvement throughout the competition, from sharing industry insights to arranging company visits to help students gain a deeper understanding of corporate operations and industry practices.
Dr Jie Li, Head of the Department of Strategic Management and Organisation at IBSS, welcomed the participating teams from around the world and expressed his gratitude to the organisers, co-organisers and support teams for their collective efforts. He highlighted the competition as an opportunity to showcase and apply their knowledge whilst concomitantly strengthening the connection between academic research and practical application.
Dr Jie Li, Head of the Department of Strategic Management and Organisation at IBSS
Dr Jianwen Zheng and Dr Xinyi Zhou, co-leads of the IBSS Business Analytics Competition, also thanked participants, colleagues and partners for their contribution to the competition. Dr Zheng noted: "We provided full industry consulting support to students and, through open industrial case studies, offered crucial practical knowledge to help students better understand business and industry operations."
Dr Jianwen Zheng, Associate Professor from Department of Strategic Management and Organisationsof at IBSS, co-leads of the IBSS Business Analytics Competition
Both Dr Zheng and Dr Zhou highlighted that every stage of the competition was designed to bring students closer to the realities of the real business world, strengthening the integration of education and industrial practice.
Dr Xinyi Zhou, Associate Professor from Department of Strategic Management and Organisationsof at IBSS, co-leads of the IBSS Business Analytics Competition,
A Global perspective, co-creating the future of ESG
Guided by a "philosophy of symbiosis," the competition encouraged participants to draw on their diverse cultural backgrounds and professional expertise to conduct an in-depth analysis of Engma Group’s real business case, ultimately developing ESG solutions that combine global strategic vision with local implementation.
Through its global engagement model, the competition attracted students from 19 countries and regions, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, Germany, and Singapore, reflecting its emphasis on “connecting China to the world”.
Looking ahead, IBSS plans to partner with more international collaborators to provide students worldwide with high-quality opportunities that connect academic learning with business practice. The competition will continue to encourage new thinking around how ESG strategies can be developed and implemented across different markets and business contexts.
Call for global partners for the 2027 competition
We are actively preparing for the 2027 competition, with the next competition theme currently being explored. IBSS is inviting organisations around the world to collaborate in developing relevant, forward-looking business cases and further expand the international reach of the competition.
We welcome potential partners in key areas:
- Corporate case partners: we invite enterprises across all sectors to work with us to identify real-world industry challenges and co-design the central case for the 2027 IBSS Global Business Case Competition. Corporate partners can bring current business questions, industry expertise and new perspectives directly into the student experience.
- Academic and research partners: we welcome global universities, research institutes, and industry research organisations to partner with us in advancing the planning, implementation, and resource support for the 2027 competition.
- Non-profit and social impact partners: we welcome non-profit organisations to collaborate with us in exploring public welfare topics linked to sustainable development and wider societal issues, helping students understand how to address social issues through innovation and practice.
For partnership enquiries, please contact:
Dr Jianwen Zheng
- Email: Jianwen.zheng02@xjtlu.edu.cn
- Phone: +86 138 2882 5896
We look forward to working with all partners to co-create an exciting 2027 competition!
26 Aug 2026