ISM students in the final of the Westenergie Manager Cup
Students from Dortmund universities can prove their management skills at the annual Westenergie Manager Cup. The team of ISM Master's students Ting Wu, Pooja Surase, Patrick Baretto, Niklas Müller and Hassan Alezeq made it to the final round of the stock market simulation game at Westenergie's headquarters and ultimately achieved 5th place - out of 93 teams.
A great experience because they got the opportunity to be curious together and celebrate success. Hassan sums up: “Participating in the Westenergie Manager Cup has been an immensely rewarding experience. It not only provided a platform to apply academic knowledge but also helped in developing soft skills such as teamwork, communication and time management. The feedback from judges and interactions with other participants were invaluable, offering new perspectives and ideas.”
The semester of the ISM business studies course usually includes a business game: "It's one of my favorite courses," says Ting: “I love the feeling of translating theory into practice and the challenges posed by the simulated competitive market environment.” That's why accepting the Westenergie Manager Cup was a no-brainer. Patrick also thinks it was "an amazing opportunity to exhibit our skills and knowledge and application of the theories we have learned during this course."
What the students enjoyed most about the Cup was playing through the decision-making process as in real life: "We had to make calculations and carry out thorough analyses," adds Pooja: “It allowed the team to work in perfect co-ordination and exchange knowledge while having fun.” The time pressure didn't irritate the ISM group too much. They have been friends since the Pre-Master at ISM.
Another benefit according to Hassan: “I was able to apply a significant amount of knowledge from my degree program in Business Intelligence and Data Science during the competition. For instance, the data analysis skills I have developed were crucial in interpreting the various business scenarios and making informed choices. This experience underscored the practical value of my academic training and highlighted areas where I could further enhance my skills.” Patrick also found that: "Many subjects in my degree program International Management are directly related to the core elements of the business game."
Niklas had a similar experience: "Our success was supported by knowledge we gained at ISM, and thanks to numerous joint group projects at ISM we are a strong team that knows how to use individual strengths."
