By Christabel DANSO ABEAM
The Magna team from Ashesi University has been crowned champions of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge’s 4th edition, adding to the school’s previous wins in the competition’s first, second and third editions.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and professional ethics.
The local final, held in Accra, featured seven teams from seven different universities across the country – including Academic City University College, Central University College, Ashesi University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast, University of Professional Studies-Accra and University Ghana Business School.
Each team conducted an intensive analysis of a given company, offering investment recommendations based on their findings and were assessed on their analytical valuation, report writing, research and presentation skills.
Team Magna was awarded a cash prize of GH¢10,000 alongside certificates of participation, souvenirs and internship slots; and will be representing CFA Society Ghana at the sub-regional competition in March.
Team WealthWise Analysts representing Ashesi University secured second position and was given GH¢5,000, a certificate of participation for each team member, souvenirs and internship slots.
Star Research Advisory from the KNUST, being the second runner-up, received souvenirs and internship slots.
Speaking in an interview, Vice President-CFA Society, Marwan Ansah, expressed that the CFA Reseach Challenge gives participant a platform to apply what has been learnt in school – expressing delight in the improvement of presentation quality, increase in numbers of schools participating and the keenness of this year’s edition compared to previous ones.
Ansah further encouraged schools and students to participate and highlighted its importance, saying: “When you decide to join the competition, you put yourself miles ahead of your peers who have not – because it brings you into the spotlight where you get the opportunity to be groomed better”.
Regional semi-finals of the CFA Institute Research Challenge will be held on the 8th and 9th April 2025. Reginal Finals will take place on 10th – 11th April, 2025 and the global final will be on the 5th of May 2025 in Chicago, United States of America.
