Four fourth-year BSc Marketing students from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) are putting their education to the test against some of the brightest business students in the world. Tanisha Nawaz, Isabel O’Kane, Freya Murray and Erin O’Toole, accompanied by their coach Dr Tara Rooney, are representing the university — and Ireland — at the 2026 Babeș-Bolyai University International Case Competition (BBU ICC), hosted in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The TU Dublin Marketing students will spend an intensive week solving real-world business problems alongside teams from 14 leading universities from around the globe. For anyone considering a career in marketing, consulting or business strategy, the competition offers a clear illustration of what modern business education looks like when classroom theory meets live, high-pressure practice.
Considering a marketing degree that reaches beyond lectures and textbooks? Explore TU Dublin’s full range of marketing and business courses to see how practice-based learning is built into the curriculum.
What the 2026 BBU International Case Competition Involves
Hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) and its Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FSEGA), the 2026 BBU International Case Competition challenges participating teams to apply their academic knowledge to real-world business scenarios. Rather than answering exam-style questions, students step into the role of consultants: they analyse a company’s situation, identify problems and opportunities, develop strategic recommendations and present their findings to experienced judges.
The format is demanding by design. Teams will tackle two business cases during the week, including a six-hour challenge and a fourteen-hour challenge. These timeframes leave little room for hesitation. Students must absorb complex information quickly, divide responsibilities, debate possible approaches, build a coherent strategy and prepare a professional presentation — all while the clock runs down.
The Team Behind the Challenge
The TU Dublin team is made up of four fourth-year BSc Marketing students: Tanisha Nawaz, Isabel O’Kane, Freya Murray and Erin O’Toole. Their coach, Dr Tara Rooney, accompanies the group, providing guidance and support as the team prepares its approach to each case. Participation at this level is rarely accidental; it typically reflects sustained academic performance and a demonstrated ability to work well under pressure.
Preparation for a competition of this calibre usually involves months of practice — reviewing past cases, refining presentation techniques and rehearsing how to collaborate effectively as a unit. By the time the team arrives in Cluj-Napoca, the objective is straightforward: convert four years of marketing education into clear, convincing recommendations delivered with confidence.
A Genuine Test of Analytical and Consulting Skills
Case competitions are widely regarded as one of the most accurate simulators of professional consulting work. The skills tested at the BBU ICC mirror what employers ask of graduates from day one:
- Structured analysis: breaking a complex business problem into manageable parts and identifying what genuinely matters.
- Creativity: generating solutions that go beyond obvious answers and reflect a real understanding of the market.
- Teamwork: coordinating four different perspectives into one coherent strategy within strict time limits.
- Communication: presenting recommendations persuasively to judges who expect professional standards.
- Composure: staying focused and effective when the pressure peaks.
Why Practice-Based Learning Sits at the Heart of TU Dublin’s Approach
For TU Dublin, the 2026 BBU International Case Competition is more than a single event — it reflects the university’s practice-based approach to education. Across its programmes, TU Dublin encourages students to move beyond theory and apply their learning to real-world situations through case competitions, project-based assignments, industry engagement and other hands-on experiences.
This matters because the workplace rarely presents problems in textbook format. Businesses face ambiguous situations, incomplete information and competing priorities. Working collaboratively to analyse problems, develop solutions and communicate recommendations mirrors the challenges graduates will encounter in their professional careers. Students who practise these skills during their degree enter the job market with a tangible advantage: they have already done, in an educational setting, what employers will later ask of them.
The Skills Employers Actually Notice
This combination of academic learning and practical experience helps students build confidence, strengthen their problem-solving abilities and develop the teamwork and communication skills employers consistently value. A graduate who can say they have presented a strategic recommendation to a judging panel, defended their reasoning and adapted to unexpected questions offers something different from one who has only completed written assessments.
For the four students in Cluj-Napoca, the competition is effectively a week-long, international work simulation — one that will strengthen their CVs and their professional networks at the same time.
Want to see where hands-on learning can take you? Browse TU Dublin’s undergraduate programmes or contact the admissions team with your questions about applying.
Cluj-Napoca: An International Stage for the Global Business Challenge
The location of this year’s competition adds its own dimension. Cluj-Napoca is one of Eastern Europe’s leading university and technology hubs. Known for its multicultural heritage and thriving innovation ecosystem, the city provides an inspiring setting for international collaboration, learning and exchange.
For the TU Dublin Marketing students, competing abroad offers benefits that extend well beyond the results table. The international setting gives the team the chance to develop a global perspective, build professional networks and collaborate with students from different academic and cultural backgrounds. These experiences shape how graduates think about markets, audiences and business culture — particularly valuable in marketing, where understanding different customer perspectives is central to the profession.
Representing Ireland on the World Stage
By competing on an international stage, Tanisha, Isabel, Freya and Erin are not only showcasing their own abilities; they are representing TU Dublin and Ireland within a global academic and professional community. Participation in events like the BBU ICC strengthens the international profile of Irish third-level education and demonstrates the calibre of students emerging from Irish marketing programmes.
Lessons for Aspiring Marketing Students
Students considering a marketing degree — or current students hoping to follow a similar path — can draw several practical lessons from the TU Dublin team’s journey to the 2026 BBU International Case Competition:
- Seek out experiential opportunities early. Case competitions, group projects and industry-linked assignments build the exact skills that international contests demand.
- Practise working under time pressure. A six-hour or fourteen-hour case rewards students who can prioritise quickly rather than chase perfection on minor details.
- Build presentation skills deliberately. Clear structure, confident delivery and visual storytelling are as important as the analysis behind them.
- Learn to work in teams. Knowing when to lead, when to support and how to resolve disagreement quickly is a competitive advantage in itself.
- Stay informed about the business world. Strong case performance depends on a broad awareness of brands, markets and current trends.
How to Prepare for a Case Competition
For students specifically interested in case competitions, structured preparation makes a measurable difference. Reading business news regularly, studying well-known case studies, practising with timed mock cases and seeking honest feedback on presentation style all contribute to stronger performance. Universities with active business and marketing societies often run internal competitions that serve as an ideal entry point before representing your institution abroad.
Follow TU Dublin’s latest news articles for updates on the team’s progress in Cluj-Napoca and other student achievements across the university.
What This Means for Irish Business Education
News of TU Dublin Marketing students competing at the 2026 BBU International Case Competition reflects a broader trend: Irish universities are increasingly visible in international business education. Events like this connect Irish students with peers across Europe and beyond, expose them to different teaching traditions and business cultures, and raise the profile of Ireland as a place to study marketing and business.
For prospective students — from Ireland and internationally — it is a useful signal. When comparing programmes, look beyond module lists. Ask how a course incorporates live projects, competitions, placements and industry engagement. These are the elements that turn academic knowledge into professional capability.
Final Thoughts: A Global Business Challenge Worth Watching
The 2026 BBU International Case Competition places four TU Dublin Marketing students in a demanding but rewarding environment: real business problems, tight deadlines, international judges and talented peers from 14 universities worldwide. Whatever the final ranking, the experience of analysing, strategising and presenting at this level will serve Tanisha, Isabel, Freya and Erin well as they move from their final year into professional careers.
For TU Dublin, the competition underlines the value of a practice-based education that prepares students not just to understand business, but to act within it. And for aspiring marketers watching from home, it offers a clear example of how far a marketing degree can take you when academic study is combined with real-world challenge.
We wish the TU Dublin team — and all participants — the very best of luck at the 2026 BBU International Case Competition.
Have questions about studying marketing at TU Dublin? Write to the university team or attend an upcoming open day to experience the campus first-hand. And if you have taken part in a case competition yourself, share your experiences in the comments below — your insight could help the next team preparing for a global business challenge.
