The UBC journey has been incredible from day one! It taught us resilience and the importance of never giving up in the face of business challenges.
Ankit Shivhare
The Sheffield MBA student
For the last few months, postgraduate students from universities across the UK have been taking part in a series of business simulation challenges in this year’s Global Masters Challenge, run by UBC Worldwide. This culminated in two teams from Sheffield University Management School making it to the final, which was hosted at The Edge, within Endcliffe Student Village, here at the University of Sheffield.
One team, consisting of Sophie Parkin, Debarati Dutta, Ankit Shivhare and Lahij Kamal, who are all Sheffield MBA students, finished in third place.
Lahij said, “Through the challenge, I gained a deeper understanding of how to manage a business from a holistic perspective while also developing stronger analytical skills. The simulation covered key areas such as operations, finance, marketing (including both market and competitor analysis), human resources, and overall strategy. I learned that even the smallest decisions can have a significant impact, an important lesson for any aspiring manager.”
Reflecting on the skills she developed through the process, Sophie shared that “Taking part in the Global Masters Challenge was an incredible opportunity to sharpen my strategic thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. Collaborating closely with my group throughout a demanding competition pushed us all to grow, and finishing third out of sixty teams was a truly rewarding result!”. Debarati echoed Sophie’s reflections, commenting that, “These abilities, together with my capacity to handle challenging business situations under pressure, have equipped me to make a significant contribution to any organisation I join in the future.”
A second team consisting of MBA students Moe Miura, Azimusshan Khan, Prashant Patil and Syed Mohammed, alongside MSc Accounting, Governance and Financial Management student Jack Bowley, also finished within the top 10.
Prashant said, “Participating in the Global Masters Challenge was a transformative experience that strengthened our entrepreneurial thinking, teamwork, and adaptability under pressure. We learned the importance of collaboration, resilience, and believing in our ideas even when challenged, while also improving our communication and presentation skills. Networking with peers, professionals and mentors offered valuable insights and broadened our perspective on business and leadership. Overall, the experience instilled confidence, a solution-oriented mindset, and essential leadership qualities that will shape our future careers.”
Azimusshan shared, “From the event, I learnt a great deal. From coordinating to strategic decision making to time management. Most importantly we were able to figure out where we went wrong and I think that’s most important. Winning doesn’t teach you as much as reflections from when you lose.” Moe added that “Overcoming challenges with my teammates taught me the true value of collaboration and gave me a sense of accomplishment that I couldn’t have achieved on my own,” whilst Jack said, “The competition taught me the value of being part of a strong, supportive team, who encouraged me to reflect, adapt, and improve upon my decisions. Through tough challenges, tight deadlines and inspiring peers, I gained a deeper understanding of enterprise and leadership- skills I hope to build upon in my future career."
Warmest congratulations to both MBA teams on their fantastic achievement! We were thrilled to host the Global Masters Challenge here in Sheffield this year, and both teams made us incredibly proud. Our sincere thanks go to the dedicated academics and professional services staff whose crucial support made this event and the teams' success possible.
Dr Melanie Hassett
Interim Dean for Education
Finishing in the top 10 against over 60 teams at the Global Masters Challenge is a fantastic achievement for the students, as well as the wider University community. Many staff members, both academic and professional services, across the School have played important roles in supporting the teams to apply their knowledge and skills to the series of business simulations, bringing to life their learning from the classroom in a practical setting.
The UBC Challenge was a fun, insight-packed journey that mirrored real-world business leadership — from strategy and procurement to teamwork and competitor analysis. A truly engaging way to learn.
Syed Mohammed
The Sheffield MBA student
