A team of students from the University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, has achieved an outstanding result in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, advancing to the global finals and ranking among the top six teams worldwide.

The team progressed through four highly competitive stages – local, sub-regional, regional semifinals, and regional finals – earning a place in the final round, which will take place in Hong Kong on 12 May 2026.

This year’s competition brought together more than 8,000 students from over 1,100 universities across 100 countries, confirming its status as one of the most prestigious and demanding student competitions in finance. Participants assume the role of equity research analysts, preparing a comprehensive investment report and presenting their recommendations before a panel of industry professionals. The process requires a high level of expertise in financial analysis and valuation, as well as strong communication and presentation skills.

Only six teams have qualified for the global finals: two from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, two from the Americas, and two from Asia.

The UL SEB team participated under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Dr. Denis Marinšek, CFA, and industry mentor Primož Rozman, FCCA, within the programme organised by CFA Society Slovenia, led by Bojan Ivanc, CFA, CAIA, Chief Economist at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. Throughout the competition, the team demonstrated exceptional analytical capabilities, professionalism, and consistency, outperforming strong international competition.

The team members are:

• Aljaž Colnar (IMB Master’s Student, UL SEB)
• Lars Lenard (IMB Master’s Student, UL SEB)
• Miha Marčun (Quantitative Finance and Actuarial Sciences Master’s Student, UL SEB)
• Matej Mivšek (IMB Master’s Student, UL SEB)
• Jure Mihelj Nagode (Money and Finance Master’s Student, UL SEB)

Their achievement reflects not only their individual dedication and academic excellence, but also the high quality of education and mentorship provided at UL SEB.

We congratulate the team on this exceptional accomplishment and wish them continued success at the global finals.