Press Releases

ISMA Centre Hosts Schools Stock Market Challenge – University of Reading

Release Date : 29 June 2004

Pupils from all over Berkshire will get a taste of the trading floor when Wall Street comes to the ISMA Centre at The University of Reading in the Stock Market Challenge, which takes place on Wednesday June 30. In this the inaugural year of the Stock Market Challenge for Berkshire schools, the ISMA Centre is not only hosting the event, its students will also be taking part as traders running the pit for the pupils on the day. The event is being sponsored and co-organised by Aimhigher Berkshire, which helps young people from Berkshire to think about the education options open to them and to aspire to Higher Education. Stock Market Challenge gives Year 10 pupils the chance to experience the excitement of buying and selling shares on a live trading floor. Five virtual days of trading are condensed into two hours with teams dealing in shares on a live trading floor. Each team of five pupils begins with £35,000 and the one with the highest portfolio at the closing bell wins a trophy and individual prizes. Stock Market Challenge is an exciting and enjoyable introduction to the stock market, which also broadens pupils' understanding of financial matters. As well as giving young people an insight into what it is like to deal on a live trading floor, the event forms part of the pupils' wider business and careers education. Julie Stewart, Marketing Manager for the ISMA Centre, said: "Stock Market Challenge provides a unique opportunity for pupils to learn how to work as a team, make decisions under pressure, take calculated risks and experience the excitement of the trading floor. The event is action-packed and great fun and not only for the pupils, as ISMA Centre students also have the opportunity to be involved in the event. Jon Bramley, Operations Manager of Aimhigher Berkshire said: "Stock Market Challenge will give our Year 10 pupils a valuable insight into how one of our most important business sectors works and its significance to the economy as a whole. For pupils looking to enter the job market or going into further and higher education in the next few years this event will be a priceless experience. "The University of Reading sees education and working in partnership with schools as one of the most effective ways to invest in the future, and Stock Market Challenge is an ideal project to enable us to build our links with local schools." Further information can be obtained from Cause Direct Events on 01225 484 721 or causedirect@btconnect.com END CONTACTS Liam & Martin Barnes 01225 484 721 Cause Direct Events Julie Stewart 0118 931 6496 The ISMA Centre Jon Bramley 0118 931 8881 Aimhigher Berkshire NOTES TO EDITORS Stock Market Challenge, which takes place inside the ISMA Centre at The University of Reading, will be an impressive visual spectacle. The event is a unique opportunity to capture on film/camera local pupils being stock market traders for a day. The event starts at 9.30 am and finishes at 1.10pm. The event recreates the theatre and atmosphere of a live trading floor as it would have been experienced by brokers in stock exchanges all over the country before share trading was computerised. Teams buy and sell shares in imaginary companies throughout a 'virtual' week in the life of a stock market compressed into two hours. As players are bombarded with information from TV and radio news reports, and teams compete to build the winning portfolio, the pressure around the trading pit creates a fast-moving and exciting event. Participating schools Blessed Hugh Farringdon School (4 teams) Highdown School (4) Reading Girls School (2) Baylis Court School (2) Langleywood School (2) Westgate School (2) Trinity School (2) The ISMA Centre The ISMA Centre, at The University of Reading, is one of the largest providers of specialised finance education in Europe. It was created in 1991 through a donation from the International Securities Market Association (ISMA), Zurich. The purpose-designed building, opened in 1998, houses two dealing rooms with Reuters 3000, Moneyline Telerate and Bloomberg data feeds. These dealing rooms are used in applied learning sessions as part of the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Aimhigher Berkshire Aimhigher: Berkshire brings together the schools, colleges and universities in Berkshire. We help young people from Berkshire to think about the education options open to them and to aspire to Higher Education. Aimhigher: Berkshire has a number of activities throughout the year aimed at giving young people a chance to experience what university is like. The activities include visits to universities, residential and non-residential events at universities and colleges and other events within schools. Cause Direct Events Stock Market Challenge is produced by Cause Direct Events. The company specialises in the management of events which help develop partnerships between education and business.