HONG KONG, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- To enhance the business acumen and practical experience of students from Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area (GBA) tertiary institutions, the Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies (HKIBS) at Lingnan University organised the third Business Case Competition (LUBCC) 2026. The Final Presentation Day and Award Presentation Ceremony were successfully held yesterday (12 April). This year's competition expanded for the first time to include five GBA universities: Shenzhen University, Jinan University, Foshan University, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, and Guangdong University of Technology. The first-prize teams were Lingnan University and Foshan University.

A total of 445 students from 98 teams registered for this year's competition. This represents a significant 22.5 per cent increase in the number of participants compared with the previous year. The competition featured real-world business cases provided by various government departments and corporations, including the Hong Kong Police Force and MTR Corporation Limited, for participants to analyse collectively and devise optimal business strategies.

Prof Shi Shanshan, Associate Dean (TP Studies) of the Faculty of Business at Lingnan University, delivered a welcome address, noting that the inclusion of several GBA universities this year helped foster academic and cultural exchanges across institutions. She said "The number of participants this year reached a record high, reflecting the growing student demand for practical platforms that simulate the workplace. Participants are required to tackle real-world problems faced by different enterprises, gaining insights into diverse cultural and business contexts. They flexibly apply the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to solve business challenges with innovative solutions. Through cross-institutional competitions like this, the Faculty of Business aims to strengthen students' cross-border market mindset, enhance their analytical and problem-solving skills, and nurture future leaders capable of addressing global business challenges."

The business cases for this year's competition were provided by government departments and corporations, spanning areas such as public services, transportation, property management, and healthcare. These included the Hong Kong Police Force, Integrated Property Management Platform of China Resources Longdation Company Limited, MTR Corporation Limited, and New Town Medical Group (listed in no particular order). A total of 20 teams from the Undergraduate Division, Taught Postgraduate Division, and GBA universities advanced to the final round. Each team was required to conduct an in-depth analysis of the real-life business challenge provided by the supporting organisations and their strategic recommendations tailored to address the issues identified. Outstanding proposals may be considered as reference strategies by the respective organisations. The final judging panel, comprising industry experts and academics, engaged with the teams through insightful questions and feedback.

The Hong Kong Police Force invited students to propose a targeted, multi-channel mission-based marketing and education campaign to solve low public awareness and sustained engagement across demographics for the HKPF Super App. Integrated Property Management Platform of China Resources Longdation Company Limited requested students to formulate new strategies to solve client confusion by clearly unifying the CRLIPM Platform's brand and relationship structure across its three companies, and to enhance public engagement through its WeChat official account while making CRLIPM content trend on social media. The case topic for MTR Corporation Limited was developing a strategy and implementation plan to reduce fare evasion on MTR Light Rail. New Town Medical Group required students to provide a marketing and outreach strategy to raise public awareness of the CDCC scheme, attract eligible participants to pair with NTMG doctors, and retain enrolled participants for follow-up doctor, nurse clinic, and optometrist services—while promoting the role of nurse clinics in the co-care model. These real-world cases spanned diverse fields such as public services, property management, transportation, and healthcare, testing the students' cross-industry business analysis capabilities and innovative thinking.

The event concluded with the much-anticipated Award Presentation Ceremony. Prizes were awarded to the top-performing teams in various categories, recognizing their exceptional analyses and innovative strategies.

For the full list of awardees, please refer to the table below: