Ideas with Impact
UNB Faculty of Management

Armed with raw data and intellectual prowess, teams of students from across Canada converged virtually in November for the annual Data Challenge hosted by the University of New Brunswick. Coordinated by the International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (IBEC) within UNB's faculty of management, this event showcased the power of data in addressing a spectrum of business and social challenges like the impact of Covid-19, extreme weather and climate change, local issues and health care.

The annual Data Challenge stands as a testament to the faculty of management's commitment to experiential learning. In this unique competition, students delve into real-world problems, honing their analytical and data science skills. The hands-on experience provides a platform for participants to learn from diverse approaches employed by different teams in solving similar problems.

Participating students not only refine their technical abilities but also gain invaluable insights into the profound impact they can have on the world through the application of their knowledge and skills. The competition serves as a dynamic arena where theoretical learning merges with practical, real-world scenarios, preparing students for the challenges of the professional world.

A success story for the faculty of management is the growth in the number of participants coming from schools outside New Brunswick. Originating as an in-class challenge in the Data Visualization course, the competition quickly outgrew the class, welcoming teams from other UNB faculties and schools within the province. Notably, this year witnessed a milestone, with approximately half of the 96 participants representing institutions beyond UNB. Schools outside of New Brunswick included Schulich School of Business (York University), Lambton College, Ontario Tech University, St. Clair College.

According to Ryan Reid, Program Officer with IBEC, "Winning teams can proudly claim to have won on a national level." The awards earned by the winning teams not only reflect their skills in providing data-driven solutions to problems but contribute to the growing reputation of the Data Challenge as an important event in the Canadian academic landscape.

The annual Data Challenge is not just a competition, it is a showcase for the power of using data to tackle problems. The students are not just participants in a competition, they are future leaders shaping a data-driven world.

The 2023 Data Challenge had students competing in four categories. Here are the winners:

Teaser poster category

• Viewer's choice: Data Swans (Schulich School of Business - York University & Lambton College)
• 3rd place: Friends with Data (Civic Tech Fredericton)
• 2nd place: The Griffins (St. Clair College)
• 1st place: Data Swans (Schulich School of Business & Lambton College)

Data analytics category

• 3rd place: Data Saints (St. Clair College)
• 2nd place: Data Swans (Schulich School of Business & Lambton College)
• 1st place: The Griffins (St. Clair College)

Infographic category

• Viewer's choice: Abnormal Distribution (University of New Brunswick)
• 3rd place: The Data Vizards (UNB)
• 2nd place: Dummy Variables (BusyQA)
• 1st place: BeyondBites (UNB)

Data visualization category

• 3rd place: Viz Wizards (UNB)
• 2nd place: The Primary Keys (NBCC (New Brunswick Community College))
• 1st place: BeyondBites (UNB)

Learn more about UNB’s faculty of management the International Business and Entrepreneurship (IBEC).

Media contact: Liz Lemon-Mitchell