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Schiller Students Tackle a Real Business Case from Allianz Spain
Enhancing their soft skills, networks, and career readiness in the Global Innovation Challenge 2025
At Schiller International University, education means more than mastering academic content; it’s about preparing students to thrive in a global workforce. The Global Innovation Challenge (GIC) 2025, now in its 4th edition, is one of our flagship academic experiences. It reflects our mission by allowing students to work across disciplines and campuses on real-world business problems provided by top-tier companies.
This year’s challenge, which ran from April to June, was developed in collaboration with Allianz Spain. Students were asked to respond to a timely, strategic question: "How can we attract and retain customers during the first six months of a new Allianz agency?"
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Over several weeks, student teams from our Madrid, Tampa, Heidelberg, Paris, and Distance Learning campuses collaborated remotely across time zones and disciplines, applying their knowledge and skills to craft innovative business proposals.
On June 10, the final online session brought everything together. Attendees had the opportunity to present their solutions to Allianz representatives, including Elsa Domene, Head of Customer Experience at Allianz Spain, who offered feedback and encouragement, reinforcing the challenge’s real-world relevance and impact.
Innovation and Professional Growth
The proposals demonstrated strategic thinking, creativity, and technological fluency, including the use of AI-enhanced tools to polish their presentations and support data-driven recommendations.
The winning proposal, Allianz+, focused on optimizing digital customer engagement by enhancing Allianz’s online presence through SEO and automated interactions with tools like Gemini on Google. This proposal gathered more robust user data to personalize offers.
More than just a solution, the proposal reflected a deep understanding of customer experience, tech-enabled strategy, and performance marketing.
Building Employability Skills and Professional Identity
Beyond the academic and strategic value of the challenge, participants developed key soft skills such as teamwork, communication, adaptability, and critical thinking. Working in intercultural, multidisciplinary teams simulates the dynamics of modern workplaces, making GIC a training ground for career readiness.
The students also strengthened their professional profiles, gained valuable networking opportunities with industry professionals, and enhanced their confidence in high-stakes presentation environments, all of which contribute to long-term employability.
At Schiller, experiences like the Global Innovation Challenge are not just academic; they are transformational. They equip students with the tools, mindset, and experience to thrive in the global economy and to lead with purpose in whatever path they choose.
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