Welcome to Big4&After
Big4&After is fun-filled, day-long treasure hunt that is organized by the Accounting Track at the Olayan School of Business (OSB) in collaboration with PwC and EY – two of the Big Four accounting firms worldwide.
The competition is played in teams of four and in three phases. The first begins in the morning and comprises various tests of knowledge in areas such as accounting, finance, logic, and business ethics in addition to one team-building activity. Teams are free to access variety of resources during the competition including the library, internet, books, friends, phones, and laptops.
The teams solve riddles to navigate their way through this first phase that takes place in different hidden locations, all across the AUB campus. Next, there are sports challenges such as sheet volleyball, dodgeball, giant skip-rope, and the human tank. In this special edition, the third phase includes a twist. In this phase, four runner-up teams emerge at the end of the second phase and compete in a special game of jeopardy. Ultimately, the final two teams go head-to-head. The day concludes with a closing ceremony where the winners are announced.
Each of the four members of the winning team will be offered a guaranteed employment opportunity at either EY or PwC! This opportunity is exercisable upon graduation provided the student:
- Maintains a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7
- Completes successfully at least two accounting electives
- Has the legal right to work in Lebanon
Each of the four members of the first runner up will be offered a guaranteed internship opportunity – 2 months and subject to mutual agreement between parties – at either of the two firms as well.
The objective of this event is to demonstrate that the accounting profession is not about number crunching. Some basic knowledge of accounting and auditing is certainly required but, equally importantly, it mandates some general knowledge and good communication and time management skills in addition to the ability to be resourceful, to be a continuous learner, and to adapt to different teams and environments - all while maintaining a certain core set of values. It is this mix of knowledge, skills and traits that is put through the test during the Big4&After event and that defines the profile of the winning teams.