Entering the Competition

  1. The competition is open to all high school students aged 15 and older (or in Grade 10 and above) in the UAE and the Gulf region.
  2. Each school can form teams with 2 to 4 students to participate in this competition. There is no limit on the number of teams from each school.
  3. Each team must nominate a school teacher to be their advisor. One teacher can advise multiple teams.
  4. Registration opens on 1 March 2025 at 9:00 AM. All teams must complete the online entry registration form and submit it by the deadline of 1 April 2025 at 5:00 PM.

Competition Guidelines (Qualifying Round)

  1. The case study will be released on 14 April 2025 at 9:00 AM. You can view the case study by clicking the Case Study tab above or by following this link.
  2. A live Q&A session is scheduled for 21 April 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00 PM on Microsoft Teams. This session will allow participants to ask questions about the Actuarial Challenge case study. We encourage you to attend and look forward to meeting you!
  3. Teams will research a provided case study, conduct an analysis, formulate solutions, and present their recommendations in a report.
  4. The report will be assessed based on 5 criteria:
    • Identifying issues
    • Utilising mathematical models, statistics and probability knowledge and tools
    • Analysing risks
    • Making critical thinking recommendations
    • Report writing
  5. Each team is allowed to submit only one entry for this challenge. If a team submits more than one entry, only the most recent submission received before the entry due date and time will be considered for judging.
  6. The submitted report must be a single document in either Adobe (.pdf) or Microsoft Word format (.docx or .doc). The file size should not exceed 25 MB. Appendices and supporting documents are optional; however, they must be included in the same document.
  7. The cover of the submitted report must state the team’s name, school, and names of each member of the team.
  8. Any generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools used in the report must be acknowledged and documented responsibly. The team is responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of their research and work.
  9. The submission deadline for the qualification round is 30 April 2025 at 5:00 PM.

Competition Guidelines (Final Round)

  1. For the final round, the top 5 teams from the qualifying round will be assigned an actuarial mentor, either from the faculty member of the Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics (AMS), Heriot-Watt University or from the industry to provide high-level guidance on their project.
  2. Teams will meet virtually with their mentors to prepare for the final round.
  3. The final round of the Actuarial Challenge presentations will be held on 15 May 2025 at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus.
  4. The finalists will present their results and findings in front of a panel of judges. Each team will have 20 minutes to present, followed by a 10-minute discussion.