By AcademyGlobal (AG) in partnership with the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM)

Tuesday, 22 April 2025

In today’s fast-changing and unpredictable world, the ability to understand and manage strategic risk is becoming increasingly important. The 2025 ISRM Strategic Risk Case Competition, co-hosted by the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) and AcademyGlobal (AG), provided a practical opportunity for students to engage with the kinds of real-world challenges that risk professionals regularly face.

Over 70 student teams from 20 universities across Australia and New Zealand took part in the competition, working in teams to act as risk consultants presenting to the Board of a fictional fast-growing activewear company. The Competition was designed to replicate a realistic consulting engagement, and teams were tasked with assessing a complex set of risks, including reputational, cyber, geopolitical, and environmental factors, with clear business implications.

Following the first round of video submissions, the top 10 teams were selected to present live in a final round before an expert judging panel. This format was designed not only to test technical understanding but also to encourage structured thinking, collaboration, and the ability to communicate under pressure, skills that are essential for the next generation of professionals working in an increasingly global and uncertain environment.

Participating Universities – A Region-Wide Effort

Representing a broad cross-section of institutions from Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, the competition showcased the growing interest in risk management and strategic thinking among university students.

Participating universities included:
University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Auckland (UoA), The University of Queensland (UQ), Australian National University (ANU), Monash University, The University of Sydney (USYD), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Macquarie University, Edith Cowan University (ECU), Flinders University, Swinburne University of Technology, Western Sydney University (WSU), James Cook University Singapore (JCU Singapore), University of Wollongong (UOW), RMIT University, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Torrens University Australia, Griffith University, University of Tasmania (UTAS), and the University of Waikato.

This diversity of participants reflects the increasing recognition of strategic risk as a vital area of study and practice across disciplines from business and public policy and health to engineering and international relations.

Top 10 Finalists – Representing Seven Cities Across Two Countries

The following teams progressed to the final round, representing a diverse range of universities across Australia and New Zealand:

1. The Australian National University – NovaGuard Advisory
2. Auckland University of Technology – Risvara Consultancy
3. Macquarie University – WealthWise Consulting
4. Torrens University Australia – Americas Consulting
5. The University of Waikato – Foresight Consulting
6. Western Sydney University – Eco-Friendly Advisors
7. University of Wollongong – Lotus Consulting Group
8. The University of Queensland – Keystone Strategy
9. Torrens University Australia – Nexus Triad
10. University of Wollongong – Unlimited Consulting Firm

Competition Winners

The final presentations highlighted a high level of professionalism and analytical thinking. The top three teams for 2025 were:

1st Place: The University of Queensland – Keystone Strategy
2nd Place: Macquarie University – WealthWise Consulting
3rd Place: Torrens University Australia – Americas Consulting

Each of the top three teams received a cash prize, mentoring opportunities with ISRM Fellows and Senior Members, and a copy of Presilience by Dr Gavriel Schneider. All finalists received digital certificates and public recognition on LinkedIn.

Acknowledging Support – Judges and Assessors

The success of the competition relied on the support of a dedicated network of professionals who volunteered their time and expertise to support the Competition:

Judging Panel:

• Laura Jury M.ISRM
• Brett Dobbie M.ISRM
• Teresa Riccio-Goodwin M.ISRM
• Carl Fernando F.ISRM
• Paul Vorbach F.ISRM

Assessment Panel:

• Francesca Dickson F.ISRM
• Brett Dobbie M.ISRM
• Daniel Bandese M.ISRM
• Arun Devendran M.ISRM
• Carl Fernando F.ISRM

Acknowledging University Representatives and Support

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the university representatives who supported this year’s competition through student engagement, outreach, and guidance. Their encouragement played a vital role in enabling students to participate in a meaningful learning experience that extended beyond the classroom.

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the following academic and professional staff:

• Melanie Barr – Partnerships Director, Auckland University of Technology
• Dr Amanda White OAM – Associate Professor, UTS Business School
• Irudhaya Rajesh Johnsam – Senior Lecturer, Flinders University
• Dr Tommy Soesmanto – Program Director (Commerce), Griffith Business School
• Dr Thanh Nguyen – Senior Lecturer (Business), James Cook University (Singapore)
• Dr Tillmann Böhme – Associate Professor, Supply Chain, University of Wollongong
• Dr Quan (Spring) Zhou – Senior Lecturer (Operations and Supply Chain), University of Wollongong
• Ian P.L. Kwan – Senior Lecturer, UNSW Business School
• Professor Babak Abedin – Head of Department, Macquarie University
• Dr Xiaohua (Sean) Jin – Associate Professor (Project Management), Western Sydney University
• Professor Alana Maurushat – Cybersecurity and Behaviour, Western Sydney University
• Kelly Rothschild – Faculty Member, Torrens University
• Naoise McDonagh – MBA Director, Edith Cowan University
• Dr William Young – Industry Fellow, Swinburne University

Looking Ahead – Expanding Global Engagement

Following the success of this year’s event, planning is now underway for an international edition of the Strategic Risk Case Competition in October 2025. This upcoming competition will extend participation beyond Australia and New Zealand, offering students from around the world the opportunity to engage with complex, cross-border risk scenarios in a collaborative, practice-based format.

For those interested in future opportunities in strategic risk, leadership, procurement, and capability development, further information is available at academyglobal.com or via AcademyGlobal’s LinkedIn page. We look forward to continuing to support the development of emerging professionals in risk and related fields.