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The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and professional ethics. Each student group is tested on their analytical, valuation, report writing, and presentation skills.

The competition brings together over 6,000 students from more than 1,150 universities across 100 countries each year. Participants assume the role of professional analysts, producing institutional-grade equity research reports and defending their recommendations before panels of CFA charter holders.

The Challenge is structured across multiple stages: First, leading universities compete at the national level, with only two teams advancing to the subsequent rounds. In this round, KSBL team defeated the domestic giants such as NUST, LUMS and IBA.

In the second round, the Southern Asia sub-regional stage, KSBL emerged as co-champion alongside the top position with University of Kelaniya (Sri Lanka). It was the first time in eighteen years that a Pakistani university had won this stage of the competition. The other South Asian competitors included Management Development Institute (India), XLRI Xavier School of Management (India), and Indian Institute of Management, Tiruchirappalli (India), FAST National University (Pakistan), Bangladesh University of Professionals (Bangladesh), and University of Colombo (Sri Lanka).

In the Regional Semi-Final, which is the third round, the KSBL undergraduate team from Accounting and Finance won its breakout, competing alongside institutions such as Nagoya University (Japan), Griffith University (Australia), Assumption University (Thailand), and the University of Kelaniya (Sri Lanka), and placing among the top-performing teams in the region. Other participants in the Asia-Pacific Regional Semi-Final included leading institutions such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, VinUniversity, Auckland University of Technology, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

KSBL’s journey this year reflects both consistency and progression. With this performance, KSBL marks its eighth national-level achievement in Pakistan, reinforcing a long-standing record of excellence in the competition. This latest milestone extends that track record onto the regional stage, placing KSBL among leading institutions across Asia-Pacific.

The team, comprising Daniyal Lohana, Anusha Jauhar, Iliyan Suleman, Manal Adil, and Sheikh M. Salman, was mentored by Talha Ameer Khan (Industry Mentor) and Dr. Tariq Basheer (Faculty Mentor), whose guidance supported the team throughout the competition.

Performance in the competition is evaluated across multiple dimensions, including financial valuation, research quality, professional ethics, and presentation. The KSBL team’s ability to integrate these elements, along with their presentation skills in the sub-regional round, contributed to their advancement.

Reflecting on the achievement, Dr. Asghar Zaidi, Rector of KSBL, shared: “This achievement reflects the strength of our disciplined tutoring, grounding on character and good manners, and sustained efforts by students and teachers alike. At our institute, we aim to nurture individuals who combine competence with character, and it is no surprise that our students have started to demonstrate their competence at the global stage.”

Hussain Dawood, Founder and Chairman of KSBL, added:

“At KSBL, we believe that true leadership is rooted in character and expressed through conduct and competence. This achievement reflects that belief in practice.”

This milestone reflects KSBL’s continued focus on developing individuals who combine analytical rigor with integrity and professional conduct, with the hope that they go on to contribute meaningfully within society.