The business game supporting the CIOB Global Student Challenge initiative is MERIT, developed at Loughborough University and used to train young professionals since 1988, it has been used as part of in-course modules in degree programmes.

MERIT simulates the management of a construction company.

Teams of  four students acting as a board of directors will manage their own simulated company. Each team can appoint two local non-executives, under the age of 35, at least one being a local CIOB Novus member. Non-executives can mentor and advise the team, but not actively participate in the team’s decision making. Non- executives will not participate in the finals.

The business decisions will include: the staffing of head offices with marketing; estimating; measurement and other support staff; bidding for work, staffing projects with project managers, labour and sub-contractors; determining the size of the company by the amount of capital invested; disbursing the profits to shareholders or reinvesting in the company or other investments; or to manage debt.

MERIT has a record of providing training in company, business and financial management all in a construction context.