The Shanghai University of Finance and Economics played host to the final of the second Rush Hour International Business Simulation Competition, where 30 teams of international students engaged in a battle of wits from Nov 12 to 13.

The competition, launched in 2023 as the first Cesim Elite event catering to the international student community in China, saw a remarkable turnout, with 425 students from 67 countries and 32 universities participating — a significant increase from the previous year.

Cesim is the world's leading provider of multilingual, multidisciplinary business simulation games. Cesim Elite, a global competition hosted by the Finland-based company, is one of the most prestigious business simulation competitions in the world.

Among the 30 teams that vied for the title, the victorious team hailed from Jiangnan University and was aptly named the "Jiangnan Spice Trade Caravan".

The event, organized by the Shanghai Education International Exchange Association and the SUFE International Cultural Exchange School, serves as a platform to promote the practical application of simulations in business education, bridging the gap between industry practices and academic learning.

The competition uses the simulation platform provided by Cesim and allows participants to take on real international business decision-making simulation scenarios, combine theory with practice, and test and improve their decision-making logic, strategic thinking and practical effects.

Veijo Kyosti, the global CEO of Cesim, highlighted the competition's significance in the era of artificial intelligence. He emphasized the value of providing students with a safe space to experience failure, enabling them to enhance their overall business acumen, including analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, management skills, leadership qualities, and effective communication.

Liu Qingsheng, vice-president of SUFE, underscored the university's commitment to fostering an exchange and learning platform for international students in China. He emphasized the importance of enhancing participants' business skills, cross-cultural communication abilities, and teamwork dynamics.

"Communication lies at the core of successful business decision-making. It involves close teamwork and seeking advice from our mentors. After the preliminary rounds, we reviewed our performance and delved into strategies that would help us navigate the decisive steps in the final round," said Isabel Hong from New Zealand, a business administration student at Peking University.

Zhang Zile contributed to this story.