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2026 IMA AsiaPac Student Case Competition Rules and Regulations

Kindly review all rules and regulations thoroughly.

To enter the case competition, you will be required to present a solution to the 2026 Student Case. In "West Valley Fresh Distribution Company: Using Data Analytics to Explore Opportunities in the Hass Avocado Market," you must analyze sales and market data to determine whether the company should pursue a potential partnership and enter the retail market.

Important Dates

  • Deadline for Applications/Case Solution Submission: March 9, 2026
  • Preliminary Evaluation of Team Submissions: March 27, 2026 - April 27, 2026
  • Announcement of Finalist Teams: May 4, 2026
  • Finalist Teams Prepare for Case Analysis Solution to Judges (Virtually): May 11-25, 2026
  • Final Competition: June 27, 2026

*Dates subject to change by the organiser

Ethical Standards

Students and advisors must assure that submissions for this competition are completed in accordance with the highest ethical principles and values. There must be no violation of copyright laws, misrepresentation of someone else's work as your own, or any activity that would reflect negatively on the values of IMA. Any such activity may result in disqualification from the competition. 

Ethics Statement of Compliance Form - Each team member and faculty advisor must sign an  Ethics Compliance Form and submit it with the team's PowerPoint. 

Team Composition

Each campus of any college or university across Asia Pacific is eligible to select a team(s) of three to five members.

  • No more than 50% of team members may be master’s degree candidates, and no doctoral degree candidates may be included.
  • Team members may be from different academic programs but must all be from the same institution/university.
  • Although faculty members are encouraged to promote this competition on their campus, NO faculty or other professional assistance is allowed in solving the case.
  • Each team must appoint a team leader.
  • Each team must have a faculty advisor from the same institution/university. 
  • Students across Asia Pacific^ are eligible to enter this case competition.
  • One team member will need to create an IMA account to submit the case. Refer to this link on how to create an IMA account. 

Entering the Competition

For each entry, the participanting team must:

  • Complete an online submission form. 
  • Abide by IMA's Ethical Standards and the Statement of Compliance and complete compliance statements for each team member. 
  • Submit a PowerPoint presentation that contains your case analysis by March 9, 2026.

To submit your solution for the case, please click here. 

Your PowerPoint Presentation

All case analyses will be submitted online on or before March 9, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted. 

Please note:

  • To maintain anonymity in the preliminary judging process, the file name should not be related to IMA, your school, or a teammate’s name. Do not include the above identifying information in any slides in the presentation.
  • Must not exceed forty (40) slides.

Finalists Selection Process

All case analysis submissions undergo a preliminary evaluation by a task force composed of senior IMA staff and U.S. CMA members.

Four selected finalists will be notified no later than Monday, May 4, 2026, of the exact time of the final competition.

The top four final teams are expected to present their solutions in the AsiaPac finals virtually on Saturday, June 27, 2026. *Subject to change. 

Final Competition

At the final competition, each of the finalist teams will:

  • Virtually present their case analysis solution (20-minute presentation and 10-minute Q&A).
  • They will be required to respond to additional questions on which they will be judged. Judges are representatives from the profession.

Winner Notification

The four finalist teams will be contacted via email the following week after the final competition to provide additional information to IMA for the prizes. More details will be furnished in the email.

IMA AsiaPac Student Case Competition Prizes 

First Prize

  •  Each team member will receive IMA Financial Planning & Analysis Certificate™ course access and e-certificate of achievement.
  • A US$500 cash prize will be awarded to each team member.
  • Each team will receive a plaque, which will be sent to their college/university.

Second Prize

  • Each team member will receive IMA Financial Planning & Analysis Certificate™ course access and e-certificate of achievement.
  • A US$200 cash prize will be awarded to each team member.
  • Each team will receive a plaque, which will be sent to their college/university.

Third Prize

  • Each team member will receive IMA Financial Planning & Analysis Certificate™ course access and e-certificate of achievement.
  • A US$100 cash prize will be awarded to each team member.
  • Each team will receive a plaque, which will be sent to their college/university. 

Faculty Advisor

  •  The faculty advisors will receive an e-certificate of achievement.

Guidelines for Case Analysis Presentation

1.   Presentations are limited to no more than 40 slides. Any presentation exceeding this limit will be disqualified.

2.   Each team member is required to have an equal part in the presentation.

3.   Presentations will be judged on content, style, and response to case requirements.

4.   Visual aids will be judged on their contribution to the presentation.

5.  No handouts or written materials will be sent to the judges as part of the evaluation process.

6.  No names of the team members or their universities/colleges should be included in the case analysis or within the file name submitted.

7.  Fictitious names can be used in the introduction of the solution if it is warranted. The judges will not know the names of the schools for any of the teams being judged.

8.  Multiple criteria will be used in evaluating the presentations, including technical content, presentation skills, case analysis style, presentation organization, and strength of recommendations and conclusions based on the case requirements. Reading of notecards in live presentations is strongly discouraged.

Ethical Standards

Students and advisors must assure that submissions for this competition are completed in accordance with the highest ethical principles and values. There must be no violation of copyright laws, misrepresentation of someone else's work as your own, or any activity that would reflect negatively on the values of IMA. Any such activity may result in disqualification from the competition. 

Ethics Statement of Compliance

The General Rules for the Student Case Competition state, “…no faculty or other professional assistance is allowed in solving the case.”  Additionally, the Ethical Standards require that copyright laws are followed and that there is no misrepresentation of someone else's work as that of the students.

*Ethics Statement of Compliance Form - Team Leader and Faculty Advisor to sign this Ethics Compliance Form and submit with PowerPoint.

**Any team member that is not an active IMA member, must sign an Non-IMA Member Ethics Compliance Form and submit it with the PowerPoint.

Terms and Conditions

  •  At its sole discretion, IMA reserves the right to reject, or at any time remove from the competition, any presentation that it finds unsuitable for any reason.
  •  All submitted presentations become the property of IMA and may be used for promotional purposes by IMA.
  • PowerPoint presentations must not contain any copyrighted material unless the team has secured the rights to the material. Presentations must be the entrants’ original creation.
  • Presentations cannot contain any profanity, offensive language, nudity, or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of IMA. IMA is not responsible for any opinions contained in entrants' presentations.

Rights

  • By entering the competition, participants agree and acknowledge that IMA becomes the owner of all presentations submitted and that IMA may use the submitted content for reproduction in IMA social media, events, news, or promotional material, whether in print, electronic, or other media, including the IMA website.
  • By participating in the IMA AsiaPac Student Case Competition, all participants grant IMA the right to their names and submissions for such purposes. All contestants agree to sign any copyright transfer or permission document requested by IMA regarding this paragraph.
  • By entering this competition, you agree to hold IMA harmless from any liability that may accrue to IMA by virtue of the content of the presentation submitted by you to this contest.
  • By entering this contest, you agree to all rules concerning the contest that now exist or that IMA may publish in the future.
  • By entering this competition, you agree and acknowledge that you are undertaking participation in IMA events and activities as your own free and intentional act, and you are fully aware that possible physical injury might occur to you as a result of your participation in these events. You give this acknowledgement freely and knowingly and that you are able to participate in IMA events, and you do hereby assume responsibility for your own well-being.

Contact us:

For any queries concerning the 2026 IMA Asia Pacific Student Case Competition, please email: apac-communications@imanet.org

 

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