CUHK Business School students win platinum and gold awards at IFMA Student Competition 2026
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has topped the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Student Competition for the second consecutive year. Two teams of students from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) captured the highest honours, taking home the Platinum Award (the champion) as well as the Gold Award (the first runner-up).
The champion team, winners of the Platinum Award, comprises five undergraduate students from SHTM, including:
- Ms Winnie Cheung I-suen (HRE, Year 3)
- Ms Cherry Cheung Tsz-ching (HRE, Year 3)
- Ms Cathy Ngau Hoi-ki (HRE, Year 3)
- Ms Feng Hoang Phuong-anh (HRE, Year 4)
- Mr Ken Lam Kwan (HRE, Year 4)
The team’s project, titled “A Customer-Centric Upgrade Strategy for UC Canteen”, saw the students act as a facilities management consulting team to identify challenges faced by the student canteen at United College, CUHK. To enhance the customer experience to attract more customers and help retain the canteen operator, they proposed a low-budget renovation plan that was both practical and affordable for the operator.
The first runner-up and Gold Award-winning team also comprises five undergraduate students from SHTM, including:
- Ms Michelle Kwok Wan-yiu (HRE, Year 3)
- Mr Arthur Wong Chun-yuet (HRE, Year 3)
- Ms Kathy Wong Huen-yuet (HRE, Year 3)
- Ms Zoe Wu Sau-ying (HRE, Year 3)
- Mr Ricky Ng Wai-kiu (HRE, Year 4)
Their project, titled “Revitalising The Hyatt Learning Centre: FM’s Role in Creating SHTM Identity”, proposed transforming the Hyatt Learning Centre at the Cheng Yu Tung Building into a future-ready learning hub aligned with the evolving vision of SHTM. The team recommended integrating smart technologies and setting up flexible partitions to create a more adaptable and comfortable learning environment.
Dr Ervi Liusman, who guided the students throughout the competition process, offered her heartfelt congratulations: “I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to both teams on their remarkable achievement. This year, we sent two teams to compete, and both were able to secure top awards. Their success is a testament to the significant effort they devoted to the competition. I am incredibly proud of their accomplishment and truly appreciate their hard work and dedication to excellence.”
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA), established in 1980, is the world’s largest and most recognised professional body in the field of facility management, with over 20,000 members across more than 100 countries. The annual student competition celebrates the creativity, research, and practical impact of emerging talent in the facility management industry.