The Accra Technical University (ATU) completed a remarkable turnaround in the eighth edition of the Graphic Business Tertiary Business Sense Challenge (TBSC), emerging as the new South-East Zone champions after winning the three-way zonal final in Accra last Saturday. The final, which took place at the Accra Sports Stadium, saw the ATU battling fiercely against the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) and the Pentecost University (PU) for the coveted crown.
The final results revealed a significant shift for the ATU, which had initially lost its quarter-final to Academic City University by 38 points to 42, but secured a semi-final place as the best-performing losing team. The ATU’s victory represents a substantial turnaround after a challenging start, having suffered a devastating loss in the quarter-finals to the University of Ghana Business School, a deficit of 38 points.
The final round saw the three finalists – the PU, UGBS, and ATU – compete across five rounds designed to assess tertiary students’ understanding of fundamental and advanced business concepts. The PU and UGBS both achieved 13 points, while the ATU registered nine, showcasing a steady progression throughout the competition. The Quantitative and Applied Analysis segment, sponsored by the Graphic Business newspaper, presented a complex scenario requiring contestants to solve calculations based on an equipment cost and depreciation model. The ATU dominated this round with six points, while the UGBS managed 0.5 points, and the PU failed to score a point.
In the fourth round, the UGBS and ATU strengthened their positions with six points apiece, while the PU scored three. The Graphic Business round, centered on a piece about reducing bank staff fraud, required contestants to apply the issues raised in the article to demonstrate strategic thinking, sound business judgement, and the ability to formulate recommendations. The UGBS made a substitution before the round, but none of the three teams gained an advantage, all scoring 10 points. The fourth round, the true-or-false segment, saw the UGBS and ATU solidify their positions with six points apiece, while the PU scored three. With the contest entering its decisive final stage, the ATU held the advantage and needed to maintain its composure in the riddles round.
The institution delivered when it mattered most, scoring nine points in the final round, while the PU added six and the UGBS failed to score. The ATU’s strong finish took its total to 40 points, enough to secure the zonal championship, with the PU finishing second on 32 points and the UGBS, the defending champions, placing third with 29.5 points. The victory capped a dramatic campaign for the ATU, which had entered the knockout stages with its hopes of progressing after losing its quarter-final contest. The university’s qualification as the best loser provided a second opportunity, which it took full advantage of by defeating the GCTU in the semi-final before overcoming the two more established finalists to claim the zonal title. The three institutions will now represent the South-East Zone at the national competition. The Tertiary Business Sense Challenge is an annual quiz designed to test tertiary students’ knowledge and application of business, finance and economics while developing critical thinking, teamwork, quick thinking and problem-solving skills. The competition, which began with 12 institutions in the South-East Zone, has narrowed the field to three finalists following the quarter-final and semi-final stages. The event is supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management (CIHRM), Standard Natural Mineral Water, GLICO, Papaye, and PwC.”
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Source: Graphic Online
