Participation of students of the “Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Economy” programme in the 2026 Academic Managerial Championships

  • 03.06.2026
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Students of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Economy programme at the Cracow University of Economics once again took part in the nationwide competition—the Academic Managerial Championships REVAS 2026. The competition is one of the largest educational initiatives in Poland that uses business simulations to develop students’ entrepreneurial and managerial competences.

This year’s edition attracted record interest. A total of 384 teams from 121 universities across Poland participated, involving more than 1,150 students. Among them were several teams representing the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Economy programme.

What is the competition about?

The Academic Managerial Championships are based on an advanced business simulation. Participants compete in three-person teams under the supervision of an academic instructor and assume the role of managers operating a company in a competitive market environment.

In this year’s edition, organized in cooperation with the Biedronka retail chain, students managed virtual stores, making decisions on employment, pricing strategies, marketing activities, investments, and work organization. The objective was to achieve the best possible financial results and build a competitive advantage over other teams.

The competition allows students to apply knowledge acquired during their studies in practice and develop competences in entrepreneurship, strategic management, data analysis, teamwork, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Course of the competition

The Academic Managerial Championships 2026 consisted of several stages:

  • 24 February – 26 March 2026 – team recruitment;
  • by 30 March 2026 – announcement of qualification results;
  • 8 April 2026 – online strategic briefing for participants;
  • 13 April – 24 May 2026 – online qualifying rounds;
  • by 27 May 2026 – announcement of finalists;
  • 17–18 June 2026 – Grand Final during the Carpathian Startup Fest in Jasionka near Rzeszów.

Before the competition began, participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the simulation through a trial game and an organizational meeting conducted by the organizers.

Managing a virtual enterprise

During the competition, students managed their own virtual companies, making decisions that affected operational performance and market position. Each decision had defined financial and organizational consequences, requiring analytical thinking, strategic planning, and effective teamwork.

Unlike traditional case studies, participants did not analyze ready-made solutions but developed their own business strategies and observed their outcomes. This enabled them to understand in practice how managerial decisions influence organizational performance and how important responsible resource management is.

Developing entrepreneurial competences

Participation in the competition allowed students to develop key competences valued in today’s labor market, including:

  • strategic thinking;
  • decision-making under uncertainty;
  • data and financial analysis;
  • team management;
  • entrepreneurship and innovation;
  • communication and teamwork;
  • solving business problems.

Business simulations are currently one of the most effective methods of practical education, enabling students to gain experience in a safe learning environment while maintaining the realism of business processes.

Summary

After the qualifying stage, the organizers announced the list of teams that advanced to the Grand Final. Although teams representing the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Economy programme did not qualify for the final round, participation in the competition was a valuable educational experience and an opportunity to test their skills in practice.

Following the announcement of results, participants gained access to detailed analyses of their decisions, enabling them to assess the effectiveness of their strategies and draw conclusions for the future.

We warmly congratulate all students on their commitment, activity, and willingness to take on ambitious challenges. We are pleased that students of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Economy programme actively engage in initiatives that develop entrepreneurial and managerial competences—an important element of modern economic education.

UEK Teams Participating in the Competition

Team 1:
Maja Wróblewska
Kinga Modrzejewska
Alicja Rzepa
Supervisor: mgr Justyna Tomala

Team 2:
Dawid Janicki
Wiktor Kaczmarczyk
Konrad Bachul
Supervisor: mgr Agata Miętus

Team 3:
Kamila Rodecka
Patrycja Cygan
Paulina Szumiec
Supervisor: mgr inż. Jarosław Pawlik

Team 4:
Maksymilian Przybyło
Mikołaj Poniewozik
Bartosz Sienica
Supervisor: Prof. Maria Urbaniec, DSc (UEK Professor)

We would like to thank all students for their commitment, creativity, teamwork skills, and readiness to take on managerial challenges. We also extend our appreciation to the team supervisors for their substantive support, motivation, and contribution to developing the entrepreneurial competences of future managers and business leaders.

We wish all participants continued academic and professional success, as well as further development of their passion for entrepreneurship and innovation.