Master's Degree Programme in
Accounting and Finance

CFA Institute Research Challenge

Contacts

Department of Economics: Prof. Monica Billio (monica.billio@unive.it) e Prof. Stefano Colonnello (stefano.colonnello@unive.it)
Venice School of Management: Prof. Elisa Cavezzali (elisa.cavezzali@unive.it) e Prof. Gloria Gardenal (ggardenal@unive.it)

CFA Institute Research Challenge, promoted by the CFA Society Italy, is an annual global competition that offers university students practical mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and professional ethics.

In the role of financial analysts, the selected teams compete in preparing an Equity Research (economic/financial analysis) on a publicly traded company. During the competition, participants' skills in analysis, valuation, report writing, teamwork, and presentation are evaluated.

A unique educational opportunity that combines university studies with real-world equity analysis practice.

Why participate

By participating in the challenge, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Gain real-world experience as a financial analyst;
  • Receive in-depth and specialized training in company analysis and presentation skills, thanks to the mentorship of professors and high-profile professionals;
  • Apply and enhance your soft skills, such as teamwork;
  • Build and strengthen your résumé;
  • Network with professionals and peers to grow in the industry;
  • Improve your written and spoken English proficiency.

Challenge dynamics

Volunteers from local CFA societies collaborate with participating universities to form teams of 3-5 students specializing in economics and finance.

Each team works closely with a mentor to research and prepare an equity analysis report on a publicly traded company. The results are then presented to a panel of experts, including analysts, portfolio managers, and chief investment officers from some of the leading companies.

Activities start from october, with local (or sub-regional) competitions concluding around March. The winning teams from this phase advance to the regional semifinals (the three regions for the challenge are: Americas, Asia-Pacific, and EMEA - Europe, Middle East). The following stages include the regional finals (in April) and, finally, the global final (in May).

How to participate

Each year, around October, the official call for applications is published on the CFA Institute Research Challenge website and shared via email with all students enrolled in:

  • Accounting and Finance
  • Economics and Finance
  • Economics, Finance and Sustainability
  • Global Accounting and Finance
  • Global Development and Entrepreneurship
  • Innovation and Marketing
  • International Management
  • Management and Sustainability
  • Marketing and Communication

To participate in the competition, you will need to send an email with your updated résumé and a motivation letter to the faculty coordinators (monica.billio@unive.it; elisa.cavezzali@unive.it; ggardenal@unive.it; stefano.colonnello@unive.it). You will then be invited to an oral interview, which will also assess your language skills.

After the selection process and once the team is formed, you will need to create an account on the CFA Institute Research Challenge website and register for the competition.

Participation and recognition

The competition is promoted by the Department of Economics and the Venice School of Management. Participation in the initiative is recognized by both departments as an internship activity (curricular or extracurricular, equivalent to 6 ECTS) or as a micro- credential (3 ECTS) for degree programs that include them in their curriculum.

To receive credit recognition, the participation certificate must be sent to the Internship Office of the Economics Campus (stage.areaeconomica@unive.it), with the Educational Programmes Office of the Venice School of Management copied (didattica.management@unive.it).