GEM provides significant benefits to many stakeholders, including students. This has been confirmed by students from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the University of Maribor in Slovenia, following the inaugural GEM Slovenia Data Hackathon.
This exciting event presented a unique challenge to participating students, pushing them to put their analytical skills to the test using the competitive GEM dataset. With a primary focus on the "digitalization of sales" variable, the hackathon aimed to foster analytical competencies while providing hands-on experience with real-world data.
Under the guidance of esteemed mentors and jury members from the GEM consortium, including Prof. Dr. Thomas Schott, Ms. Mahsa Samsari, Prof. Dr. Marian Holienka, and Prof. Dr. Zuzana Kovačičová, as well as mentors from the Slovenian GEM team and FEB associates from the Department of Quantitative Methods, the participating students worked in pairs to enhance their learning experience and gain invaluable insights.
The winning team received Apple Watches courtesy of LANCom d.o.o., the generous sponsor of the event. Additionally, the runners-up were awarded Samsung tablets, sponsored by Tiko Pro d.o.o., highlighting the support and encouragement for the participants' outstanding efforts. The event not only fostered analytical skills but also created connections and collaboration among participants.
Reflecting on the hackathon's success, Professor Karin Širec (Slovenian team leader) expressed her enthusiasm, stating: "This event has been a tremendously rewarding experience for everyone involved. We believe that such initiatives greatly contribute to nurturing analytical competencies amongst students while providing them with hands-on experience with real-world data."
The inspiration for the GEM Data Hackathon stemmed from the success of a similar event held by colleagues at Babson College in Boston last year. Building on this proven model, the GEM Slovenian team embraced the opportunity to implement their own hackathon, with hopes of continuing this enriching experience in the future.
The inaugural GEM Slovenia Data Hackathon marked a significant milestone in promoting analytical excellence and real-world engagement among students. By harnessing the power of data analytics and collaboration, the event has empowered a new generation of aspiring analysts and researchers, paving the way for innovative solutions and insights in the field.
In conjunction with the hackathon, the 2022 GEM Slovenia National Report was released on the same day. To mark this significant occasion, a high-profile press conference was conducted, featuring students, colleagues and the State Secretary from the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport. The event garnered substantial media attention, with coverage across various print and television networks.