TIMELINES

• TIME

Friday - 20/03/2026

• PARTICIPANTS

University students who have an interest in the Investment Research Challenge Competition

• FORMAT

Offline

• REGISTRATION

 13/03/2026 - 20/03/2026

• CONTENT

The “Information Day” is strategically organized to ensure prospective participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire IRC 2026 journey. It includes a detailed introduction to every event across the competition timeline, along with the specific opportunities, specialized knowledge, and official prize system that contestants are eligible to attain.

Furthermore, the program is designed to facilitate crucial networking opportunities, allowing attendees to engage directly with distinguished speakers and seasoned experts in the Finance and Investment sector. This interaction will be instrumental in expanding their perspectives and deepening their insight into subjects directly relevant to the competition. 

• TIME: 17/03/2026 - 02/04/2026

• PARTICIPANTS: IRC Candidates

• FORMAT: Online Test

• RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT: 05/04/2026

• CONTENT: The Online Test is designed to assess a comprehensive range of professional disciplines, encompassing Banking, Finance, Economics, IQ (Intellectual Quotient), and Securities Market Knowledge. Based on the results, the Top 160 candidates - including the Top 40 outstanding individuals and the Top 30 excellent teams - will be selected to advance to the Offline Test round. 

• TIME: 11/04/2026 - 12/04/2026

• PARTICIPANTS: Top 40 Excellent Teams

• FORMAT: Offline test

• RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT: 12/04/2026

• CONTENT: The Top 40 Excellent Teams are required to undertake a specialized Offline Test at the venue and the time pre-registered with the Organizers. This round comprises a comprehensive, 180-minute assessment, conducted entirely in English, encompassing both Objective Tests and Writing Essays.

The Objective Tests component will be administered individually and utilizes a minimum score threshold mechanism. Conversely, the Writing Essays segment requires team collaboration, with each team submitting one unified paper.

Upon conclusion of this round, the Top 8 highest-scoring teams will be formally granted advancement to the subsequent Semi-Final Round.

• TIME: 14/04/2026 - 09/05/2026

• PARTICIPANTS: Top 8 excellent teams & Trainer

• FORMAT: Online & Offline

• CONTENT: In the Semi-Final Round, IRC Organizers will announce the competition rules and reveal the selected companies for analysis. The Top 8 teams will prepare an Equity Research Report in English on a company listed on the Vietnamese Stock Exchange, following the guidelines provided by the Organizers. The report writing component accounts for 65% of the total Semi-Final score. Throughout the preparation process, teams will receive guidance from assigned mentors and may arrange online or offline meetings to refine their analysis and enhance the quality of their reports.

TRAINING SESSIONS

1st Training sessions & 2nd Training sessions

• TIME: Confirmed later

• PARTICIPANTS: Top 8 excellent teams & Trainer

• FORMAT: Offline

• CONTENT: To equip participating teams with the necessary knowledge foundation and skill set before entering the Semi-Final Round, the IRC Organizers are implementing a specialized training program led by experienced experts in Investment Analysis. The program focuses on two core components: Investment Report Writing and Financial Modeling, both designed to align closely with practical market requirements.

• TIME: 20/04/2026 & 24/04/2026

• PARTICIPANTS: Top 8 excellent teams

• FORMAT: Offline

• LOCATION: 

• CONTENT: Within the framework of the Semi-Final Round, contestants will be granted the opportunity to participate in a Company Tour. This serves not only as a crucial occasion for participants to gain deeper insight into the corporate culture and work environment of leading firms within the Finance, Investment Fund, and Securities sectors, but also acts as a "lens" providing a specific and comprehensive view of their chosen professional domain. This exposure subsequently unlocks future career prospects.

Furthermore, the Top 8 excellent teams will proceed to participate in the Assessment Day, a key component that constitutes 35% of the total score for the Semi-Final Round. The IRC Organizers will provide a designated mini-case for the competing teams, requiring them to collectively resolve the scenario within a specified timeframe.

Upon the conclusion of the Semi-Final Round, the Organizers will select the Top 4 teams with the highest cumulative scores to advance to the decisive Final Round.

• TIME: SATURDAY - 23/05/2026 

• FORMAT: OFFLINE

• PARTICIPANTS: Top 4 excellent teams

• LOCATION: Big Hall, Ho Chi Minh University of Banking

• CONTENT: Each team will present their investment analysis results and defend their evaluation of the assigned company before the Investment Council - the Board of Judges. The official language used in the Final Round will be English (subject to confirmation). Teams will also have the opportunity to solve a real-world case study during the Final Night and engage in a direct Q&A and defense session with the Judges.