Advise the deal. Defend the numbers.

Vietnam Finance Case Competition

A national English – language undergraduate competition in merger & acquisitions, valuation, and transaction advisory – organized by the Vietnam Finance Association International (VFAI). Inaugural year, 2026.

Contract VFAI: Professor Hieu Phan, hieu_phan@uml.edu

Professor My Nguyen, my.nguyen@rmit.edu.au

Why VFCC

Most case competitions ask you to solve a business problem. VFCC asks you to solve a deal.

Teams of four undergraduates step into the role of transaction advisors: build a valuation model, structure the financing, and defend a recommendation the way you would in a real boardroom. It’s a hands-on opportunity to learn applied M&A and valuation skills, explore career paths in investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, and consulting, and network with an international academic committee and industry practitioners who judge the competition.

How It Works

Stage 1 — Launch (September 2026)

Official competition announcement. Partner universities nominate and confirm their participating teams by September 15, 2026.

Stage 2 — Training Workshops (October 2026)

Free, optional three Zoom sessions open to every registered team: M&A process and deal logic; valuation and financial modeling; synergies, financing, and deal structure; how to write a professional advisory memo; and presentation and Q&A defense skills.

Stage 3 — Written Screening (November 2026)

Teams receive the official case and have two weeks to submit a PDF advisory memo (12–15 pages) and a supporting Excel valuation model. Every submission is blind-reviewed by at least two judges. The top six to eight teams advance.

Stage 4 — National Finale (December 18, 2026, Hanoi)

Finalist teams present in person: 15 minutes to present, 15 minutes of Q&A with the judging panel. The panel selects the Champion, 1st Runner-up, and 2nd Runner-up.

Prizes

All finalist teams receive an official VFCC certificate of participation.

Who Can Join

• Currently enrolled undergraduate students at an invited partner university
• Teams of exactly 4 students from the same university
• Each university may register up to 3 teams
• Each team needs at least one faculty advisor
• No graduate students, alumni, or full-time finance/consulting professionals
• No participation fee

Students do not register individually. Teams are nominated and selected by their university. Talk to your finance or business department to find out whether your university is an inaugural VFCC partner.

Judges & Academic Committee

VFCC’s Academic Committee brings together finance faculty and researchers from universities in the US, UK, Australia, and Vietnam, alongside industry practitioners. The judging panel for both the written screening and the National Finale is mixed and industry-leaning, combining academic and practitioner perspectives.

Industry Partner: Techcom Securities (TCBS). VFAI is continuing to recruit additional industry partners and sponsors — organizations interested in supporting VFCC can contact us for the sponsorship framework.

Academic Integrity

Original work only. Teams may use AI tools, but must disclose which tools were used and for what purpose in a written declaration. Teams remain fully responsible for their analysis, assumptions, and recommendations.

Get Involved

Students: Ask your finance or business department whether your university is an inaugural VFCC partner. Teams are nominated and selected by the university, so your first step is to talk to your department, not to register directly.

Universities not yet invited: Contact VFAI to discuss partnership.

Contact

Dr. Hieu Phan, VFAI President — hieu_phan@uml.edu

Dr. My Nguyen, VFAI Vice President — my.nguyen@rmit.edu.au