The Case Programme

The Case Programme develops students into global leaders, taking them around the world on business case competitions.

The Case Programme gives you the opportunity to tackle real life business problems while working in teams with other students. The programme encourages you to challenge your way of thinking, learn about your working style, form friendships and networks with like-minded students and travel the world representing the University of Auckland. 

Four students standing at the front of a room giving their case presentation
Case team presentation, 2024 Champions Trophy International Case Competition

Developing Leaders

The Programme provides excellent leadership skills through a focus on openness and honesty (‘how does my behaviour affect my teammates?’), challenge (‘how can we be the best versions of ourselves and compete with the best in the world?’), and service (‘how can I make the world a better place?).

Values

  • Openness and honesty
  • Challenge
  • Service

Behaviours

  • Personal awareness
  • Commitment
  • Grace

Outcomes

  • Insight
  • Bridge to business
  • Social network and fun

Graduates of the Case Programme have a huge advantage when seeking graduate employment. Many of our alumni are now in top consulting firms, multinational corporations, and investment banks worldwide.

World-class Case Competitors

The University of Auckland’s Case Programme is one the highest performing in the world, with a success rate of over 50% at national, Trans-Tasman, and international competitions over a 20-year history. As of 2024, the University of Auckland is a four-time winner of the prestigious Marshall International Case Competition, held at the University of Southern California (no other university has won more than twice); two wins and a runner-up at the Chulalongkorn International Business Case Competition, and had four consecutive podium finishes at the HSBC-HKU Asia Pacific Case Competition between 2014 and 2017.

The six winning team members of the case competition 2023 standing with their trophies and smiling.
Winning team at the 2023 Marshall International Case Competition
Four winning team members of the case competition standing and smiling holding a large cheque that says $10,000 on it.
Winning team at the 2015 HSBC-HKU Asia Pacific Case Competition
Year Entered Runner-up Third Second Champions Success rate
2004 5   1 1 3 100%
2005 5   1 1 1 60%
2006 8 1 1 1 1 50%
2007 6       1 17%
2008 10 1   1 5 70%
2009 9 1 1 1 1 44%
2010 11     1 2 27%
2011 10 1 2 1 4 80%
2012 15 1 1   6 53%
2013 17   1 3 4 29%
2014 18   1 4 6 56%
2015 19     3 4 42%
2016 25   3 1 5 44%
2017 22 1 2   8 55%
2018 21   1 2 6 43%
2019 21   3 3 6 57%
2020 15   4 2 3 60%
2021 16   2 4 5 69%
2022 14 1 2 1 5 64%
2023 17 1 1   8 59%
Total 284 8 27 30 84 52%

IEL Development Programme (DEVO)

To join the University of Auckland Case Programme you must apply for and graduate from the IEL Development Programme (IEL Devo). IEL Devo is a five-week boot camp focused on personal development and building practical business knowledge through team-based problem solving.

Applications for IEL Devo occur in Semester One and Semester Two. Spaces are limited and highly competitive. Applicants must have competed in an entry-level case competition run by the University of Auckland Case Club (UACC). Qualifying events are advertised each year.

UACC is a student-run club, operated by senior students in the Case Programme. The events run by UACC are open to all students across the University of Auckland. 

Champions Trophy

Champions Trophy is the University of Auckland's prestigious  annual case competition that sees twelve teams from internationally renowned  universities compete by solving business cases to identify key issues, develop strategies and present their ideas to a panel of industry experts.

Champions Trophy is the only international case competition with a full qualification-based invitational system; every team competing at Champions Trophy must have won other high-level international events to make it there. This makes the annual Champions Trophy case competition an event of global significance.

To find out more, visit the Champions Trophy website.

Contact us

Cameron Haworth
Case Programme Manager
University of Auckland Business School
Email: cameron.haworth@auckland.ac.nz