Collegiate Ethics Case Competition

The Collegiate Ethics Case Competition (CECC) brings students together from around the world, challenging their moral reasoning in thought-provoking team competition. Faced with a real-world business ethics case, students analyze the case and present to a panel of judges.

What is a Ethics Case Competition?

During this two-day competition, student teams from 20 colleges and universities will come together to collaboratively analyze, present, and respond to a thought-provoking business ethics case. This case is carefully crafted to mirror the ethical dilemmas professionals may encounter in their future careers, making it a valuable learning experience for all participants.

The 23rd Annual Undergraduate Collegiate Ethics Case Competition will be held in-person at McClelland Hall in Tucson, Arizona. The schedule is Thursday night round one and all day Friday round two and final round.

The annual Collegiate Ethics Case Competition CECC serves as a platform for students to engage in rigorous ethical analysis within a competitive setting. Participants are presented with complex, real-world business ethics cases that require them to apply moral reasoning, ethical theories, and practical considerations to navigate ethical dilemmas effectively.

Teams are tasked with thoroughly analyzing the case, identifying key ethical issues, considering various stakeholders' perspectives, and proposing well-reasoned solutions or courses of action. Presentations are often expected to be comprehensive, coherent, and persuasive, as they are delivered to a panel of judges who assess teams' understanding of ethical principles, their ability to apply them to practical situations, and the clarity and persuasiveness of their arguments.

The competition not only tests participants' understanding of ethical theories and frameworks but also their ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively within a team, and think critically under pressure. 

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Thank you to all the participating schools. 

Tentative Agenda 

**Note: The agenda is subject to change.  

Thursday PM - Welcome Dinner

The welcome dinner will take place on Thursday, October 15, 2026 and will take place in the Estes Atrium at the Eller College of Management. Check-in will begin at 3:30 p.m. 

Thursday PM - Round One

Teams will be divided into five brackets with five teams per bracket. Round one will take place on Thursday, October 15, 2026, after the welcome event. A series of pre-determined questions will be posed by the panel of judges. This Q&A portion will last ten minutes.

Friday AM - Round Two

Round two will take place on the morning of Friday, October 16, 2026.  Each team will be asked to give a 20-minute presentation followed by time for 5 minutes of clarifying questions from the judges.

Friday PM - Lunch in the Estes Atrium

Final Round

For the final round, finalists' presentations are not to exceed ten minutes and will be followed by up to five minutes of questions from the entire panel of judges. 

The final round will be livestreamed via YouTube.

Closing Reception 

Saturday Activity

We will go as a group to South32 Hermosa. This event is TBD. More information to follow via email to registered teams.

Criteria

Judges will utilize the following criteria in evaluating teams throughout the competition:

• Delivery
• Depth of analysis
• Persuasiveness
• Creativity
• Recommendations that are both ethical and practical in a business context
• Responses to questions

Interested in 2026? 

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