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International Case Development Competition (ICDC) 2026

The International Case Development Competition (ICDC) 2026, organized by El-Khazindar Business Research and Case Center (KCC) at Onsi Sawiris School of Business and Ivey Publishing, invites students to write compelling case studies on contemporary business issues in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Winning cases will be published by Ivey Publishing, with USD 2,000 in prizes.

Key Dates

  • Early-Bird Submission Deadline (optional, for feedback): December 8, 2026
  • Registration Deadline: December 20, 2026
  • Case Study Submission Deadline: January 15, 2027

Eligibility 

  • The competition is open to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Eligible students can participate individually or as a team of up to 3 members.
  • Each team may consist of members from any discipline or program.
  • Each submission requires a faculty mentor/supervisor, who will be listed as an author in case of publication.
  • The case study should be about an organization within the MEA region

Registration

Registration is open from November 1, 2026, until December 20, 2026. The registration form includes:

  • Details of participants (name, email address, institution and program enrolled in)
  • Details of faculty advisor (must be a faculty member at one of the team members’ institutions)
  • The working title of the case study (may be subsequently amended in the case study entry)
  • Case study idea (not more than 150 words)

You will need to register for the competition to receive the links for the webinars.

Register for the International Case Development Competition
 

Early-Bird Submission

  • Teams may submit a draft of their case study by December 8, 2026 to receive feedback from the Ivey/KCC team before the final submission. 
  • Early-bird submissions are optional, but they give teams the chance to refine their case study based on expert comments ahead of the January 15, 2027 deadline.
  • Early-bird submissions require prior registration.

Submission Requirements

  • The case study entry may be on any business topic in any country in the MEA region and based on a real-life situation
  • Interested participants must first register for the competition and submit a case idea for the proposed case study by the stipulated deadline. You can refer to the competition timeline below
  • The case study entry must be in English and be an original work that has not been submitted elsewhere.
  • The case study should not exceed 5,000 words (in A4 pages, single-spaced, excluding exhibits/annexes) and should be accompanied by a short abstract (a maximum of 200 words)
  • All sources used in the case study should be cited appropriately using The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition (CMOS)
  • All case study entries must be submitted by the stipulated deadline (January 9, 2026)
  • Signed consent is required from the company upon submission of the final version of the case study 

Prizes and Awards

  • Total Prize Fund: USD 2,000
    • First Place: USD 1,000
    • Second Place: USD 750
    • Third Place: USD 250 

Publication

  • Winning and runner-up submissions will be published in the Ivey/KCC co-branded collection.
  • Winning submissions must be accompanied by a teaching note, developed together with the faculty mentor.
  • Authors must sign an agreement transferring the copyright to Ivey Publishing.

Guidelines

Check Ivey's publishing page for the submission guidelines, citation guidelines, and case planning worksheet.

Timeline

  • Competition Launch: November 1, 2026
  • Case Writing Webinar: November, 2026 (Date TBC)
  • Early-Bird Submission Deadline (optional, for feedback): December 8, 2026
  • Registration Deadline: December 20, 2026
  • Case Study Submission Deadline: January 15, 2027 (11:59 PM Cairo Time)
  • Winners’ Announcement: March, 2027 

FAQs

Who can participate? 

Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. You can enter individually or as a team of up to 3 members, and team members can come from any discipline or program.

Do we need a faculty mentor? 

Yes. Every submission requires a faculty mentor/supervisor. The mentor must be a faculty member at one of the team members' institutions and will be listed as an author if the case is published.

Can team members be from different universities? 

Yes. The mentor must belong to the institution of at least one team member.

Can I enter more than one case? 

Yes. Participants can submit more than one case.

How do I register? 

Complete the registration form between November 1 and December 20, 2026. You'll need participant details, mentor details, a working title, and a case idea of up to 150 words.

Can I change my case title after registering? 

Yes. The title you register with is a working title and may be amended in your final entry.

What is the early-bird submission? 

It's an optional opportunity to submit a draft by December 8, 2026 and receive feedback before the final deadline.

Do I have to register before submitting an early-bird draft? 

Yes. Registration is required first, so register before December 8, 2026 if you want early feedback.

How do I submit for the early-bird? 

Email your case study to [email protected] by December 8, 2026.

Does submitting early affect our evaluation? 

Early-bird submissions are for feedback only and are not evaluated separately.

What topics and countries are eligible? 

Any business topic, in any country in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, based on a real-life situation.

Do I need the company's permission? 

Yes. Signed consent from the company is required with your final submission. 

What are the length and format requirements? 

Maximum 5,000 words, excluding exhibits and annexes, plus an abstract of up to 200 words. Entries must be in English and cited using The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition.

Can I submit a case I've already submitted elsewhere?

No. Entries must be original and not submitted elsewhere.

Where can I find writing guidelines? 

Ivey's publishing page has the submission guidelines, citation guidelines, and case planning worksheet. Registered participants will also receive links to the case writing webinar.

How are the prizes awarded? 

USD 1,000 for first place, USD 750 for second, and USD 250 for third. Prizes are per team, not per person.

Which cases get published? 

Winning and runner-up submissions will be published in the Ivey/KCC co-branded collection.

Is a teaching note required? 

Yes, for winning submissions to be published. It is developed together with a faculty member.

Who owns the copyright? 

Authors sign an agreement transferring copyright to Ivey Publishing.

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