The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) was one of the lead sponsors for the Quest for Securities & Investment Elite (QSIE) competition, the winner of which has been announced as the Open University of Hong Kong.
The unprecedented first year competition was organised by EL Education Academy, Hong Kong. To enter, student teams were required to be from universities or higher education institutions in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and Hainan Island and be about to enter the jobs market.
Student teams from an accounting, business or finance background were asked to submit a written report and analysis for a case study relating to the topic of securites and investment, using the data and information provided. Evaluation was based on the candidate’s analytical, presentation and report writing skills. The competition opened in December 2019, the entry deadline was September 2020, with the final presentation, Q&A session and Award presentation ceremony taking place 28 November 2020.
A total of fourteen university teams submitted their entries, with seven teams making it through to the final. Open University of Hong Kong Team A (photo above of OUHK students Danica Samson and Tony Shiu) were declared the Champion winning HK$5,000, with Chinese University of Hong Kong in second place winning HK$3,000, and Open University of Hong Kong Team B was third winning HK$2,000. Students from the top three performing teams received a certificate inviting them to enrol for CISI’s Fundamentals of Financial Services exam free of charge.
The competition was presented by China Tonghai Securities Ltd – Direct Spot. The panel judges were:
Mr Ken McGowan, Chartered MCSI, CISI Regional Consultantat, Asia
Mr Harry Yuen, Investment Strategy Associate Director, China Tonghai Securities Ltd
Mr Mathew Bate, Chartered FCSI, Director and Responsible Officer, Private Capital Ltd (PCL)
Josiah Pang, EL Education Academy General Manager said: “Financial services is one of the pillars of Hong Kong’s economy, and the Government has been actively pursuing economic development in order to keep up the competitive advantage of Hong Kong. The competition is not only a meaningful event, but also serves as a useful platform for the regional students to interact before entering the competitive job market.”
Ken McGowan, Chartered MCSI, CISI Regional Consultant Asia said: “All the students who participated in the final can be extremely proud of the way they performed. The quality of the presentations and the way the students responded to the judges’ questions was very impressive. All the teams, without exception, were a credit to themselves and their universities.
"Against the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic which has sent shockwaves through most economies, it has seldom been more challenging for graduates to gain a foothold in today’s job market. Taking one of CISI’s globally recognised benchmark qualifications, at the same time as studying towards an academic degree, can help students differentiate themselves and demonstrate to potential employers they have the drive and initiative to take control of their career. “