An MBA student team from School of Management at Fudan University (Fudan SoM) has claimed first prize in the Advanced International Certificate in Responsible Business Practices: Business & Sustainability Simulation Competition, hosted by the Council on Business & Society (CoBS). The prestigious online event, held from April 22 to 25, 2025, saw the Fudan team triumph over 12 international rivals in a rigorous seven-round contest.

The 2025 simulation featured 67 students across 12 teams representing seven leading CoBS member institutions: South Africa's Stellenbosch Business School, India's IIM Bangalore, Australia's Monash Business School, France's ESSEC Business School, the UK's Warwick Business School, Canada's Smith School of Business at Queen's University, and China's Fudan School of Management.

Fudan SoM entered two teams in the competition, with the championship squad comprising MBA candidates Xueman Ma (Class of 2025), Shuqi Li (Class of 2026), Wenjing Yun (Class of 2026), alongside International MBA students Cameron Carson (Class of 2026) and Yichin Chen (Class of 2026). Notably, team member Xueman Ma brought valuable experience from CoBS's 2024 competition where Fudan secured second place.

This year's condensed schedule intensified the challenge, requiring participants to complete both practice simulations and the formal competition within one week. Teams engaged in real-time global strategy battles, integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) variables into corporate decision-making across seven rapid-fire rounds. "The compressed timeline demanded exceptional teamwork and agile adaptation," noted Xueman. "Our systematic approach to embedding ESG principles into operational frameworks proved decisive."

As champions, the team received a €1,500 prize and CoBS Advanced International Certificates for Module 1 (Business & Sustainability Simulation). The certificate program combining this simulation, online ESG modules, and an upcoming Intensive Week exemplifies CoBS's commitment to developing next-generation leaders.