Students from Anglia Ruskin University and Exeter University have won the CISI Educational Trust Global Awards 2024.

Undergraduate and postgraduate students from universities in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and India entered the awards.

Sebastian Tataru of Anglia Ruskin was the global winner in the undergraduate category and My Tam Hoang from Exeter University was the global postgraduate winner.

Three postgraduate and 10 undergraduate students competed in the online global final. They submitted a PowerPoint presentation addressing the question “What are the three most significant factors contributing to the cost-of-living crisis, how do they impact individuals, families, and societies, and what are your proposed solutions to address these challenges and alleviate the burden on affected populations?” as well as being interviewed by the panel of judges.

Sebastian Tataru said: “I was really excited to undertake my research on a relevant economic topic affecting societies around the globe and it was extremely intriguing to comprehend and analyse how global events have affected economies around the world.

“I am immensely thankful to CISI for giving me the opportunity to participate in the competition and for the amazing experience and support offered during the whole process.”

My Tam Hoang said: “Through in-depth research and analysis on the topic of the cost-of-living crisis, I had the opportunity to deepen my grasp of economic dynamics and refine my research and presentation skills. Moreover, engaging with industry experts and practitioners during the competition provided me with valuable insights and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the financial services profession.

“As an ambassador of the CISI, I would encourage other students to participate in such a fascinating journey.”

Three close runners-up were highly commended in the undergraduate category: Maitrii Prasad from Christ University, India, Oscar Heaney from the University of East Anglia, UK and Alvin Christian De Silva from Far Eastern University, Philippines, and were awarded discretionary prizes.

The prizes awarded totalled £21,600 with the global graduate and graduate champions also invited to attend the CISI Annual Awards Ceremony in London, later this year.

The CISI Educational Trust is a charity focused on the development of transferable skills, enabling students at schools, colleges and university to access careers in the financial services industry.

Frank Moxon, Chartered FCSI (Hon) chair of the CISI Educational Trust, said: “The level of entries was high and competition was fierce. Congratulations to our global undergraduate and postgraduate champions and to our highly commended runners up.”