The Student Challenge

Develop solutions to help refugees and win a trip to Berlin!

2023 marked the inaugural Global Internship Conference (GIC) Student Challenge. For this inaugural challenge, CIEE was pleased to collaborate with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to invite student teams to present their best ideas to address economic inclusion for forcibly displaced populations.

This challenge mirrored an issue that you may be asked to work on during a global internship. Challenge participants gained valuable skills and expanded their professional networks, all while solving one of the most critical issues of your generation. Finalist teams won a trip to Berlin to compete in person, and the winning team will receive a summer internship facilitated by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), and an opportunity to have their idea be selected to be shared with policy makers and promoted through UNHCR's social media channels.

Registration for the 2024 GIC Student Challenge will open in November 2023. Virtual Round 1 will occur on April 20, 2024, followed by in-person finals in London, England, June 21, 2024.

Meet the Winning Team!

Judges and the Wolves of Childs Way in Berlin, June 23, 2023.

Judges and the Wolves of Childs Way in Berlin, June 23, 2023.

Congratulations to the Wolves of Childs Way, winners of the 2023 GIC UNHCR Student Challenge! All team members are rising sophomores in the World Bachelor in Business program at the USC Marshall School of Business – Justin Kit Hang Tang (team captain), Muktahal Singh Birring, Armelle Davasse, and Hoi Ling (Karin) Wong. Eligible winning team members will receive a scholarship for a 2024 CIEE summer global internship.

The Wolves of Childs Way’s winning solution was to use AI to improve the connection between refugee students and potential employers by addressing key challenges faced by student refugees, which include lack of career guidance, no access to networking, and employers unwilling to hire refugees. Their solution, Caree™ An AI Career Advisor for Refugees, impressed the judges with its significant potential.

“Many of the case competitions we’ve joined in our college career were solely focused on business profits. This challenge was especially meaningful to us because of its mission,” said Justin Kit Hang Tang, team captain, Wolves of Childs Way. “We were honored to be a part of something that could ultimately help millions of people from all parts of the world.”

Read the full press release.

Meet the Round 1 Finalists

Congratulations to the 2023 GIC UNHCR Student Challenge Round 1 Finalists! Among the 71 global teams who registered to participate, 36 teams representing 42 universities, 11 countries, and 128 students were selected to compete. Judges from across the globe came together to evaluate student ideas. Many impressive proposals were presented, but three teams’ proposals really stood out. These teams fully embraced the spirit of the challenge and presented an idea that has significant potential to address this critical challenge. Please join us in congratulating the teams.

Team Synergy

Team Synergy is a remarkable group of undergraduate students from Winona State University, comprising individuals with diverse backgrounds and unique skill sets. Catlin Sturm, a freshman majoring in marketing with a professional sales minor, is a creative thinker who placed 6th in a global creativity competition. Favour Ogunwole (Team Captain), a sophomore double majoring in economics and data science, has been an entrepreneur since the age of 12, selling vegetables in her hometown. Meanwhile, sophomore Luke Larson, who grew up in an apple orchard, is pursuing a double major in accounting and marketing, bringing his analytical and creative talents to the team. Finally, senior Jose Ortega, a management and information systems and data science major with a minor in finance, brings his passion for evangelism to the team. They are excited to change the world in whatever little way they can.

Wolves of Childs Way

Combining The Wolf of Wall Street and Childs Way, the main street that runs through the heart of the University of Southern California’s campus, the team’s name Wolves of Childs Way was born, and consists of four first-year university students pursuing the World Bachelor in Business program: Armelle Davasse, Karin Wong, Justin Tang (Team Captain), and Muktahal Singh Birring. Our international course of studies prompts our curiosity to learn and tackle the world’s most pressing issues. With team members from France, Hong Kong, and India, the team benefits from a diverse range of cultures and ideas in their pursuit for innovative solutions to modern-day challenges. With experience in business operations, consulting, graphic design and financial forecasting, the team is eager to propose solutions, learn from each other, and meet teams from all over the globe as we learn from professionals in their field and work together with UNHCR to continue tackling global issues.

Synergy

Greetings from Synergy! Our team members include Davaasuren Surenragchaa (Team Captain), a third-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough, majoring in International Business and Management; Yesui Nyamchuluun, a second-year honors student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Economics and Computer Science and currently an exchange student at the University of Amsterdam; and, Simon Alexander, a junior at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Supply Chain and Operations. This year’s GIC UNHCR Student Challenge revolves around the very complex and urgent topic of refugees’ economic inclusion worldwide. We are honored and excited to be part of this impactful initiative and to propose practical and innovative solutions. Our team cannot wait for the challenges that await us in Berlin this summer. We are excited to continue learning and growing alongside our peers and future mentors!

Meet the Student Teams​

• Aavesh
• ALFA International Management​
• Bean Consulting​
• CAN​
• Challenge Chompers​
• Cognitive​
• EurekaLab​
• Fab Four​
• From Kabul to Bowling Green​
• Generation Inspiration​
• Georgetown Global Vision​
• Indiana International Initiative (III)​
• It 's Just Us!​
• JvohorSouthernTiger​
• Marigold​
• MVC​
• Nova​
• Penjelajah​

36 Teams​

• People+Planet​
• Rickshaw​
• schema​
• SIST​
• SNS​
• Students Provoking Progress​
• Suspire​
• Synergy​
• Tarleton Superstars​
• Team Minerva​
• Team One​
• Team Synergy​
• The Falconers​
• The Infernos​
• The Wolves of Childs Way​
• To Berlin or not to Berlin​
• UTSC-SSL​
• Zenith​

• Ahmedabad University​
• Bentley University​
• Birmingham​
• Chulalongkorn University​
• Emory University​
• Georgetown University​
• Georgia Institute of Technology​
• Georgia State University​
• Griffith University​
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras​
• Indiana University Bloomington​
• IPB University​
• King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi​
• Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology​

42 Universities​​

• Missouri Valley College​
• National University of Singapore​
• Penn State University​
• Singapore University of Social Sciences​
• Stanford University​
• Tarleton State University​
• Taylor's University​
• Telkom University​
• The College of Wooster​
• The University of Texas at Austin​
• The University of Texas at Dallas​
• Universitas Brawijaya​
• Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia​
• University of Applied Science Upper Austria

• University of Birmingham​
• University of California, San Diego​
• University of Cape Town​
• University Of Houston​
• University of Johannesburg​
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities​
• University of Pennsylvania​
• University of Southern California​
• University of Sydney​
• University of Technology Sydney​
• University of Toronto Scarborough​
• Washington State University​
• Western Kentucky University​
• Winona State University

Key Dates 

Student Registration Period
February 6 – March 30, 2023

Round 1 Team Orientation and Challenge Introduction
April 10-14, 2023

Round 1 Competition: Prep and Practice
April 17-21, 2023

Round 1: Presentations
April 22-23, 2023

Round 1: Winners Announced
April 24, 2023

Final Round Competition (Berlin, Germany)
June 19 – 22, 2023

Final Round Presentations & Winners Announced (Berlin, Germany)
June 23, 2023

Student Challenge Benefits

All Participants: You and your team are eligible to receive free Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications through July 1. Microsoft representatives will present the details and benefits of this offer to all student teams during orientation week.

Round 1 Finalists: Three teams will earn a fully funded trip to Berlin to compete in the finals. You’ll learn from a team mentor, develop career skills, network with employers, attend conference workshops, explore Berlin, and connect with a global community of your peers.

Grand Prize Winners: Each member of the winning team will earn a summer internship in 2024 facilitated by CIEE.

Student Challenge Content Partner

We are excited to introduce the GIC 2023 Student Challenge content partner: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)!

Worldwide, over 100 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, and persecution. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, believes that young people have a central role to play in finding ways to help them thrive, not just survive.

CIEE, in collaboration with UNHCR, invites student teams to present their best ideas to address a critical issue related to economic inclusion for forcibly displaced populations. More specific details regarding the challenge will be released on April 17, 2023.

The GIC 2023 Student Challenge builds upon the Model United Nations (MUN) Refugee Challenge, an initiative launched by UNHCR to encourage students worldwide to shape solutions for people forced to flee their homes.  The solutions presented by the three Student Challenge finalist teams in Berlin will be among those considered for selection to be put before a jury composed of UNHCR members, young refugee leaders, and independent experts. The best ideas are also eligible to enter in the MUN Refugee Challenge and if selected as the winners of the MUN Challenge, they will be shared with policy makers and promoted on UNHCR’s social media channels.

About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. 

Partners

District C
During orientation week (April 10-14, 2023), prior to the competition (April 17-21, 2023), our partner, District C, will provide a webinar for students on how to approach solving the challenge and deliver training for mentors to help coach students during the week of the competition.

About District C: District C is preparing the next generation of talent for modern work. In District C's Teamship program, student teams meet and work with professionals to solve real problems for real organizations. Student teams are guided through this work by a District C Certified Coach. The coach helps them build the mindsets and tools they will need to work in a diverse team to solve a complex problem.

Microsoft
All student participants are eligible to receive up to 8 free Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications through July 1. Microsoft representatives will present the details and benefits of this offer to all student teams during orientation week.

Student Challenge FAQs

Student Demographics

  • Students must be 18 or older, and currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited higher education institution to participate.

  • No. All current undergraduate students attending any accredited higher education institution globally are invited to participate in this competition.

  • . No. Students may be nationals of any country. However, all students must commit to being able to present in Berlin in the final round if they are selected as finalists. We encourage students to consider whether there will be any restrictions on travel to Berlin when making this commitment. If a student is unable to present in Berlin, the rest of the team may still compete, but the student who is unable to attend will forfeit the opportunity to win the grand prize.

  • All current undergraduate students attending any accredited higher education institution globally are invited to participate in this competition. Preference will be given to students who are in their 2nd and 3rd year of their undergraduate program.

Student Registration

  • Each team must have a minimum of 3 team members (including the team captain) and a maximum of 4 team members.

  • No, participants on a team do not have to attend the same academic institution.

  • The fee is $30 per student team.

  • Yes. If you are not selected for round one, we will refund your registration fee.

  • Yes, there is a cap. A maximum of 36 student teams will compete in round one.

  • Yes, you do have to have team members selected to register.

  • All registered teams will receive a final registration confirmation on April 3, 2023. If your team is not selected to compete, we will inform you at that time. Teams will have until April 6, 2023, to confirm participation. If there are extenuating circumstances which require an adjustment to the team roster, you may make a change by selecting the “Modify Your Registration” button found in your final confirmation email. After April 6, 2023, no further changes to the team roster will be accepted. If you have questions about modifying your team roster, please contact us at GIC@ciee.org.

Student Challenge

  • Teams will be selected on a first come, first serve basis. If necessary, we may also balance across campuses and geographies to optimize school representation.

  • Teams will receive final confirmation regarding participation on April 3, 2023, and must confirm participation by April 6, 2023. If participation is not confirmed by April 6, 2023, selected teams may forfeit the opportunity to participate.

  • Student teams will be required to attend a 3-hour orientation session during the week of April 10-14. We will offer 2 time slots to accommodate students in different time zones. Office hours will also be offered during that week to answer any questions that student teams may have ahead of the competition.

    The Challenge will be released to students on April 17, 2023, and teams will have until April 21, 2023, 12:00 PM EDT to submit their final presentations. Student teams will then be scheduled to present to judges April 22-23.

  • Yes. Student teams will be scheduled to present to judges April 22-23. Presentations will be virtual. Teams are expected to present in English.

  • More information regarding the industry partner and judges will be shared with student teams during Orientation, April 10-14.

  • A CIEE industry partner will create the challenge. Industry partners range from innovative start-ups to global organizations, multinationals, and NGOs. Our Student Challenge Industry Partner will be introduced to student teams in April.

  • The Student Challenge will be reasonable for all academic majors, including liberal arts and business.

Berlin Travel

  • CIEE financial assistance is limited to Economy class Airfare, CIEE provided housing, a set stipend for 3 meals per day, ground transportation in Berlin to and from the conference, and registration fees for the Global Internship Conference. Any additional personal expenses, including required visas for students to enter Germany, will not be covered. CIEE will offer guidance to individual students to understand visa requirements and procedures upon request.

  • Yes, you will need a passport to travel to Berlin. We encourage students to consider whether there will be any restrictions on travel to Berlin when making this commitment. If a student is unable to present in Berlin, the rest of the team may still present, but the student who is unable to attend will forfeit the opportunity to win the grand prize.

  • Finalists presenting in Berlin can have one guest attend the final presentation session on Friday, June 23, 2023. Guests travel at their own expense and are not covered by CIEE for any travel or other costs.

Grand Prize Internship

  • A subset of CIEE Summer 2024 Global Internship opportunities will be offered to the winning teams. . We recognize that with global student participants, the Internship opportunities available might not fit the scheduling or professional needs of all team members. We will do our best to accommodate the unique situation for each student on the winning team to ensure a successful internship experience in 2024, but CIEE cannot guarantee preferred placement. If we are unable to successfully arrange for an internship, the student will qualify for a USD $1000 cash prize instead. More information on the CIEE Summer Global Internships available will be shared with students by March 31, ahead of when teams must confirm participation.

  • CIEE Summer Global Internships are 8-week programs offered in the May through August timeframe of each year. Specific dates vary by location. The winning teams will be eligible to select from a subset of CIEE Summer Global Internships in 2024.

  • All team members do not have to choose the same internship location.

  • No. Only CIEE Program Fees will be covered. Winning team members are responsible for their own travel and accommodations. Students are invited to visit the CIEE Global Internships site to learn more about our programs and the fee structure.

  • CIEE Summer Global Internships are 8-week programs offered in the May through August timeframe of each year. Specific dates vary by location. The winning teams will be eligible to select from a subset of CIEE Summer Global Internships in 2024, hosted by a variety of industry partners. We recognize that with global student participants, there may be unique needs depending on the student. We will do our best to accommodate the unique situation for each student on the winning team to ensure a successful internship experience in 2024.

    During the pre-departure process, participants work with a local internship coordinator to identify skills, goals, and internship interests. Based on this dialog, local internship coordinators match you to your internship opportunity. You also will have the opportunity to interview with the internship host, pre-departure, to confirm the match is a mutual good fit. Learn more about the internship placement process.

Questions?

Email us at GIC@CIEE.org