Oxford Brookes University holds annual Business Challenge Week

Oxford Brookes Business School students have been working with businesses to address real-world issues.

This was part of the university's annual Business Challenge Week held from June 17 to June 21.

Forty-five students participated, including 12 from the University of Regensburg in Germany, a partner institution of Oxford Brookes.

The students worked with businesses to develop strategies and recommendations, leading to a final showcase at the university's Headington Campus.

Dr Karla Zimpel-Leal, senior lecturer in innovation and enterprise at Oxford Brookes Business School, organised the event.

She said: "Business Challenge Week encompasses an intensive week of multidisciplinary consultancy-style projects, an exciting opportunity for our postgraduate students to tackle real-world challenges head-on, make a tangible impact, gain invaluable problem-solving experience and dive into a world of interdisciplinary challenge projects with our partner organisations."

Companies involved included BioBright, which assists maritime industries in reducing CO2 emissions, and Leicester-based X&Y Fertility, which offers a wide range of diagnostic tests and fertility treatments.

Sabike Tahmasebi, who is studying for an MSc in management and business analytics at Oxford Brookes, said: “Coming up with a quality marketing strategy in less than a week was a supreme challenge, but working with a team of students made the week less intense.

"Delivering a workable solution to a real-life client made the entire week worth it. We gained invaluable experience and opportunities to network with fellow students and business owners.”