Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will conduct from June 21-26, 2015, the 5th Merck Serono Innovation Cup Summer Camp, an initiative offering a chance for advanced students in life sciences and business administration programs to attend a one-week training program with Merck Serono professionals. This initiative is designed to support the professional development of post-graduate students interested in the pharmaceutical industry and also delivers new innovative approaches covering unmet medical need.

The Innovation Cup brings together a promising new generation of talent in a meeting of the generations with senior Merck Serono managers and researchers and accomplished Merck, Darmstadt, Germany retirees. A video showing an overview of the event can be accessed here:

http://innovationcup.emdgroup.com

Post-graduate students in the life sciences field on their way towards a PhD in biology, medicine, biotechnology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, pharmacy or related fields are invited to apply. In addition, advanced MBA students or recent MBA graduates with an interest in the pharmaceutical business and a background in life sciences are also eligible. Postdocs can apply, too!

Participants have the chance to win with their team the Merck Serono Innovation Cup award – EUR 20,000 for the most convincing project plan worked out during the summer camp.

NIBC Team Registration

Registration for the 2015 National Investment Banking Competition is now open!

The National Investment Banking Competition attracts university students from around the world to compete in an investment banking case competition.

The principal focus of the Competition is to provide students with the opportunity to learn and apply practical skills relevant to investment banking. The Competition consists of a Preliminary Round and a Final Round, with cases developed by professionals from top investment banks designed to replicate potential real-world transactions. Participation in NIBC will provide hands-on experience and insight into the daily responsibilities of both junior and senior investment bankers. These responsibilities include analysis of financial data, running scenarios in financial models, evaluating structural alternatives against client parameters, and creating pitch books. Finalists will have the chance to present their advice in a live pitch to a panel of managing directors from leading North American investment banks, while competing for a $15,000 prize pool.

Please refer to our Competition Prospectus and Factsheet for more information, and register at nibc.ca before October 12^th, 2014.

What is NSCC?

The NSCC consists of a Canada-wide three-day competition and one-day conference, sponsored by leading firms such as Deloitte, McKinsey, Bain and BCG, providing exceptional undergraduate and MBA students with a perspective of management and strategy consulting. After a successful inaugural event earlier this year, we are pleased to be back for a second time from November 6-8, 2014 in Vancouver. In addition, all future NSCC events will be held in November to better align with the internship recruitment period.

A breakdown of what to expect for both the competition and the conference is located below:

Competition (3 days) – $40/team preliminary fee

We have redesigned the competition format and aim to provide competitors with a realistic consulting simulation experience — one “live” case spread over a two-day period. There is an opportunity for 12 Undergraduate and 8 MBA teams across Canada to compete for a $1,500 cash prize and first round interviews with Deloitte’s Consulting practice. Additional interviews may be offered to winning teams based on performance.

– Thursday afternoon/evening: Arrive at Hyatt Regency hotel and kick off NSCC with the Welcome Dinner

– Friday: Transportation to UBC Sauder School of Business and work on case from 9am-5pm

– Friday evening: Exclusive networking event with local and national consulting firms

– Saturday morning-afternoon: Work on case until 2pm; first round of judging

– Saturday evening: Finalists announced; Wine & Cheese reception; Gala Dinner with final presentations; Winners announced

NSCC – Case Simulation Information & Rules 2014

NSCC Factsheet 2014

Although the application period has already begun, students still have time to form a team and submit the preliminary case by our deadline, 11:59pm PST on October 1, 2014. For more information regarding our event and to register a team, please visit our website at www.thenscc.com. The preliminary fee is $40/team and a second installation of $180 or $250 (2 or 3 night stay at the hotel) will be due if the team is chosen to advance.

Conference (1 day)

We have tailored our conference to best suit the experience level of each delegate, either Novice or Experienced. The workshops will address key areas that interest the student based on his or her chosen stream. Our workshops, speaker sessions and Wine & Cheese networking reception will provide 150 of Canada’s brightest business students with the opportunity to gain a well-rounded understanding of the industry, including: what consulting is, the skills required to succeed and what to expect at a client engagement.

Not only will the NSCC provide an invaluable opportunity for top students to demonstrate their analytical and pitching skills on a national stage, delegates will also gain quality networking exposure to an array of like-minded students and highly-regarded consulting professionals.

I have included a brief fact sheet of both events for you to read and distribute. The competition information & rules package is also included in the attachments for your convenience. Would you be willing to reach out to your students via email on our behalf?

Once again, our website is www.thenscc.com

Are you interested in researching ideas about the future of the Federal Public Service and how to make it and Canada better? If so, then here is your chance to make a difference and get your ideas heard at universities across Canada and by leaders at the most senior levels of the public service. To participate in the 2014-2015 Blueprint 2020 Student Paper Competition, speak to your professor and write a paper during the fall term.

Last year, the competition focused on ideas and research related to the Blueprint 2020 vision that was launched on June 7, 2013, by Wayne Wouters, the Clerk of the Privy Council and Head of the Public Service. At that time, the Clerk invited federal public servants and Canadians to contribute their ideas on how to make the Blueprint 2020 vision a reality.

This year we are asking master’s students, in any and all fields, for help on the implementation of the Destination 2020 report, which includes the initiatives to be undertaken across the Public Service to fulfill the Blueprint 2020 vision. We are looking for thoughtful research in your field of study that would help the public service refine or realize the initiatives outlined in Destination 2020 report. Individual or group submissions from any discipline are welcome.

The further you advance in the competition, the more interesting and fun it gets, and the more widely your ideas are heard. In the beginning, you will submit a research paper, and if you are successful at higher levels, you may be asked to make a short video pitch and perhaps present and discuss your paper via a web-conference with a National Panel of judges. The winner of the National Competition will be invited to Ottawa to present their paper in person at a seminar held by the Canada School of Public Service.

Did we mention the online voting? A select number of papers and videos will be posted on the IPAC website and open for public voting in March, 2015. The paper with the overall highest number of votes will receive the “Public Choice Award”.

For more information please see the guidelines.

GMAC is seeking nominations for outstanding MBA students to serve as Official Video Bloggers for mba.com! As a way to engage current and prospective GMAT test takers and promote the value of an MBA or other graduate management degree, GMAC is recruiting current MBA students to star in a series of videos for our website.

The selected students will produce a series of four brief (2-3 minutes in length) video blogs detailing their journey through graduate management school. These videos will be featured on mba.com and across our social media channels.

For the selected student, this will be an opportunity to demonstrate creativity and leadership. In addition, GMAC will compensate the blogger $250 per submitted video.

If you are interested in participating in this project, please email Rebecca Mellema (Social Media Manager, GMAC). She will contact all interested students and set up a brief interview. Selected students will work with her to create a video series documenting their MBA journey

Competition date(s): April 10-12, 2014