Up to the challenge

It can be hard to remember what life was like before the pandemic, when the most challenging aspect of special events and conferences was the logistics of keeping people organized. Over the past two years, we’ve all found ways to adapt to the new reality; . in some instances, we’ve actually managed to create events that offer unexpected opportunities to interact and learn. The CPA Education Foundation Business Challenge case competition is one of those success stories.

In previous years, this two-day event saw student teams from post-secondary institutions across Alberta come together in Red Deer to practice their business case–solving skills, hone their strategic acumen, and experience what it’s like to be a professional working to solve real-world business problems. For the last two years, the case competition has been held entirely online, but the competition was just as real and just as rewarding.

“Our goal from the start was to try to recreate the intensity and excitement of the in-person event in an online format,” says Kayla Gaffney, Communications Manager for the Foundation. “The Foundation believes that case competitions are invaluable in helping students build their future skills, and we worked hard to find a way to not only replicate the in-person experience, but make the event even more responsive to student needs.”

While going online meant students had to give up the in-person camaraderie for virtual high fives, it also meant students got to experience what much of the business world was also going through: solving business problems in the midst of a global pandemic. The case competition offered students a truly unique experience in which boardroom brainstorming, networking lunches, and in-person pitches were replaced by breakout room strategizing, chats and emojis, and virtual presentations.

In total, more than 70 students from eight post-secondary institutions participated in the past two pandemic-era events. Some students even logged in from as far away as Ecuador! As long as students were registered in an Alberta-based accounting program, they were able to compete due to the virtual nature of the competition. Despite the online format, the case competition garnered high praise from student participants and their faculty advisors. “We’ll have to see where we go from here,” says Kayla. “It definitely opens more doors of opportunity for students.”

Winners of the 2022 CPA Education Foundation Business Challenge

11 teams. 3 rounds. 4 finalists. But only one team would emerge victorious.

After an intense two days of online collaboration and competition, post-secondary business students from across Alberta presented their findings to a live panel of judges. The panel included CPA Education Foundation Board members, CPAs, and representatives from our 2022 business case partner, Canadian Western Bank.

First place: University of Alberta

Second place: MacEwan University

Third place: SAIT

The CPA Education Foundation is passionate about helping students reach their CPA designation goals and recognizes education is a significant financial investment. That’s why the Foundation offers a variety of awards to help ease the financial barriers of higher education for students at all stages of their educational careers, from high school to post-secondary and through to the CPA Professional Education Program (CPA PEP).