STUDENT RISK MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE

What is the Risk Management Challenge?

• A seven-month-long global competition for students, in which university/college teams compete to develop and present the most comprehensive Risk Management Report based on a case study.

• If you are a full-time undergraduate student interested in demonstrating your skills and knowledge in risk management, form a team and obtain approval to represent your university/college.

How does it work?

• After receiving the case study, students will conduct a risk analysis and complete a comprehensive risk assessment report. They will be charged with assessing the top risks and developing a risk management plan that proposes solutions to address these risks.

• A panel of prestigious Risk Management professionals will form a Judging Committee to judge each team's submission and select the top eight scoring teams.

• These top eight teams will receive Spencer-sponsored travel to present their solutions at the RIMS 2025 Annual Conference (RISKWORLD) in Chicago, IL, USA. They will also answer live questions from the Judging Committee.

• The top three teams will be awarded cash prizes and recognized at the Spencer Soirée and during the RIMS RISKWORLD Conference finale.

What are the benefits of participating?

• Gain real-world risk management exposure and experience by analyzing data and developing a comprehensive program.

• Acquire experience working in a team and establish connections with industry experts and potential employers.

• Network with various risk management practitioners and have the opportunity to network with peers from around the world, gaining recognition on an international platform.

• Opportunity to win prize money and represent your university/college and country.

• The top eight teams receive Spencer-sponsored travel to the RIMS RISKWORLD Conference in the United States.

• The first-place team prize is USD $10,000; the second-place award is $7,500, and the third-place award is $5,000!

2025 RM Challenge Schedule*:

• Application Opens - October 1, 2024

• Application Closes - October 31, 2024 (Late applications will be considered)

• Student Teams Receive Case Study - Friday, November 1, 2024

• Risk Management Report Deadline - Wednesday, January 15, 2025​

• Top 8 Teams Notified - Tuesday, February 11, 2025

• Top 8 Teams Develop Presentations & Make Travel Arrangements - February to Mid-April 2025

• Top 8 Teams PowerPoint Presentations Due - Friday, April 11, 2025

• ​Preliminary Presentation Round (Top 8 Teams Only)​ - Sunday, May 4, 2025 (8:00am-4:00pm CT in person at the RISKWORLD Conference)​

• Final Presentation Round (Top 3 Teams Only)​​​​ - Monday, May 5, 2025 (11:00am-1:00pm CT in person at the RISKWORLD Conference)​

• Winning Team Announcement - Monday, May 5, 2025 (5:00-7:00pm CT during the Spencer Soirée at RISKWORLD)

*The above timeline may change depending on the judging committee’s availability.

Students:

To participate in the 2026 Student RM Challenge, click on the buttons below and complete all three steps.

Email the completed & signed Spencer Release Form along with all student resumes/CVs to Tandeka Nomvete at tandeka@spencered.org.

For students residing outside the United States: We strongly urge all student participants to obtain their passports. If you aspire to reach the Top 8 Teams, you will eventually need to apply for a U.S. visa to travel to the United States and advance to the next rounds of the competition. Don't delay—secure your passport today!

Risk Managers (Volunteers):

Are you a Risk Manager interested in serving as a judge on our Judging Committee? If so, please review and complete the form below to add your name to the database. We welcome volunteers from around the world!

Summary From Prior Years:

Curious to see the official recaps from prior competition years? Click on the links below to access photos, videos, podcasts, and news articles.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS!

This annual student case competition is managed by the Spencer Educational Foundation and supported by FM and RIMS (the Risk Management Society).

QUESTIONS?

For more information about this global student competition, please contact our Director of External Engagement, Tandeka Nomvete, at tandeka@spencered.org or call/text/Whatsapp +1 678 559 6928.

2025 RM Challenge Statistics

2025 RM Challenge Top 8 Teams

2025 RM Challenge University Participants

Appalachian State University | USA

Bermuda College | Bermuda

Boston University | USA

Botho University | Lesotho

Bowling Green State University | USA

Brenau University | USA

California State University, Fullerton | USA

The College Of St. Scholastica | USA

DePauw University | USA

Drake University | USA

Durban University of Technology | South Africa

Eastern Kentucky University | USA

Effat University | Saudi Arabia

Ekiti State University | Nigeria

Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science & Technology (EBKUST) | Sierra Leone

Federal University, Dutse | Nigeria

Florida State University | USA

Georgia State University | USA

Illinois State University | USA

The Institute of Finance Management | Tanzania

Institute of Insurance and Risk Management (IIRM) Hyderabad | India

Kyambogo University | Uganda

Lagos State University | Nigeria

Le Moyne College | USA

Mercy University | USA

Milpark Education | South Africa

Milton Margai Technical University | Sierra Leone

Missouri State University | USA

Morgan State University | USA

National Insurance Academy, Pune | India

Nelson Mandela University | South Africa

Peking University | China

Saint Joseph's University | USA

St. Mary's University | USA

St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata | India

Tribhuvan University | Nepal

University of Alabama | USA

University of Calgary | Canada

University of Cape Coast | Ghana

University of Colorado Denver | USA

The University of Georgia | USA

University of Ghana | Ghana

University of Hamburg | Germany

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | USA

University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) | China

University of Iowa | USA

University of Jos | Nigeria

University of Lagos | Nigeria

University of Makeni | Sierra Leone

University of New South Wales (UNSW) | Australia

University of North Texas | USA

The University of Olivet | USA

University of Professional Studies, Accra | Ghana

University of South Africa (UNISA) | South Africa

University of Southern California | USA

University of Texas at Austin | USA

The University of Texas at Dallas | USA

University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) | South Africa

University of Uyo | Nigeria

University of Wisconsin-Madison | USA

Walter Sisulu University | South Africa