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UFS team makes it to top four in CFA University Research Challenge

18 November 2020 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

CFA CHALLENGE_web read more — The UFS team, from the left: Monique Harcourt, Dawid Potgieter, Atalanta Watson, and Zoe Travers.

One of two teams from the University of the Free State (UFS) performed exceptionally well and made it to the top four in the extremely competitive local Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) University Challenge.

The CFA Society South Africa recently hosted the 12th annual local edition of the CFA Institute University Research Challenge. The research challenge is an annual global competition in equity research hosted by the CFA Institute, a global representative body for chartered financial analyst (CFA) charter holders. During the research challenge, teams from different universities locally and internationally compete on three levels – more than 1 000 universities compete annually.

"Taking part in the CFA challenge was a wonderful opportunity where we learnt new skills and gained industry-specific experience, which will be invaluable to us as we graduate and embark on our journey as professionals. We are proud to have represented Kovsies in the finals and this proved to us, once again, that hard work pays off, " said the UFS team.

Two teams of four were selected to represent the UFS during the 2020 challenge. Team selection was based on students’ performance during the first semester of their BCom Honours (specialisation in Financial Economics and Investment Management) in the Department of Economics and Finance. During the challenge, students assumed the role of a (sell-side) research analyst and had to write a concise report that covered various aspects related to the company’s business activities, structure, governance, finances, etc., which was presented via Zoom to a panel of judges from the CFA Society South Africa.

Dr Ivan van der Merwe, the team’s adviser from the Department of Economics and Finance, commented: “It was a pleasure to work with a team that showed so much dedication and was willing to go the extra mile. The experience they gained during this challenge will stand them in good stead and it was a real confidence builder for them to successfully complete a very stressful live presentation and subsequent question session. They made us proud and set the standard for aspiring Finance students at Kovsies.”

News Archive

SRC President receives Abe Bailey Bursary

2012-08-02

Richard Chemaly

He is the president of the Student Representative Council, holds leadership positions of various organisations and is a member of Mensa, an organisation for people with a high IQ. With a list of achievements that keeps on growing, Richard Chemaly seems destined for great things.

This Kovsie student has been named one of 17 students countrywide who received the sought after Abe Bailey Travel Bursary for 2012. He was chosen from hundreds of UFS applicants and will depart for Britain in November, to visit several universities in England and Scotland. He will travel with the other bursary holders.

Richard, a postgraduate LL.B. student, says it is a great honour to follow in the footsteps of previous Abe Bailey bursary holders such as Philip Tobias, Max Price, Tony Frost and Eusebius McKaiser. “It certainly is a stepping stone and one I intend to make the most of.”

He hopes that the experience will broaden his knowledge. “I'll be grateful for whatever I learn as learning is what makes up my human experience.”

Richard says he has not planned much yet for his visit to Britain. “I do, however, intend to go to a quaint book shop in London called Collinge & Clark, which is on my bucket list. It's the store where Dylan Moran - a big influence in my life - filmed his series, Black Books.”

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