Maita Kundishora, a final-year student in Financial Engineering, emerged as the winner of the Inaugural Portfolio Engineering Challenge, taking home the grand prize of USD500 at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) Innovation Hub on July 18, 2024.
The competition which challenged students to build a stock portfolio using the C-Trade platform attracted eight contestants from HIT’s Financial Engineering programme who were tasked with designing and presenting their innovative investment projects. Leeyah Chiyangwa and Melody Nyakuhwa won the second and third prizes, receiving USD300 and USD200, respectively.
The Portfolio Engineering Challenge was sponsored by prominent organisations, including Tactplan Financial Services (first prize), Purpose Vunani Asset Management (second and third prizes), Cass Saddle Asset Management, C-trade, FEBI Consulting Group, and industry advisors.
Kundishora expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the challenge, saying, “I am thrilled to have won this prestigious award. It’s a great honour to represent HIT in this competition, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to showcase my skills,” she said.
Coordinated by Ms Siphatisiwe Moyo, a Lecturer in Financial Engineering, the Portfolio Engineering Challenge was designed to engage students in experiential learning, applying theoretical concepts to real-world problems, and fostering sustainable development goals. It was also aimed at encouraging students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world challenges, exposing them to investing and trading, fostering Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) of Quality Education, and economically empowering students to be wealth creators.
In his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Financial Engineering Department, Mr D.J Nkomo, emphasised the importance of the challenge, stating, “The Portfolio Engineering Challenge is born out of a need to engage students in experiential learning whereby they put into practice the concepts learned in the classroom. This dovetails with the Education 5.0 mantra of producing graduates who can earn income for themselves and their families.”
“We are pleased that our partners have come on board to sponsor prizes,” said the Chairperson. “This is the beginning of an annual event, and we stand ready to collaborate with like-minded institutions,” Mr Nkomo said.
The event was attended by representatives from industry, commerce, academia, and government, who were impressed by the creativity and ingenuity displayed by the participants. The success of the Portfolio Engineering Challenge has set a high standard for future events, with organisers already planning next year’s edition.
Meanwhile, Maita Kundishora can bask in the glory of her achievement, having left her mark on the financial engineering community and inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.
