Oxford student Gaspard on his Oxford Strategy Challenge project with a business travel consultancy
The Careers Service original programme The Oxford Strategy Challenge (TOSCA) is a team-based experiential learning event for Oxford University students, with participants taking part in real strategy-focused client challenges over a week.
Oxford student Gaspard took part in the March 2025 programme. Here is a look back at his time on the programme.
Gaspard's highlights
Just wrapped up a fantastic strategy consulting challenge last week - it was an incredibly rewarding experience and a great opportunity to apply problem-solving in a real business context.
Our client, a global leader in business travel consultancy, was looking to integrate AI into their processes but needed clarity on the right tools and the areas with the highest potential impact. Like many companies right now, they saw the promise of AI but weren’t sure where to start. We had the opportunity to present our recommendations directly to their C-suite executives, who immediately recognised the tangible value that our AI proposal could bring to their business.
After speaking with their team and analysing process documentation, we identified 14 key bottlenecks along their value chain and client-facing processes where AI could enhance efficiency. A major challenge quickly became clear: processing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) was time consuming and resource intensive.
Our final recommendations focused on two high-impact areas: Market Research and RFP Processing. We proposed a mix of AI-driven tools for data analysis, text summarisation, and automation, ranging from AWS and Microsoft solutions to more specialised software from industry experts. Our final proposal streamlined client-facing processes and integrated AI along key steps, not only boosting productivity but also enhancing human decision-making, and leaving the door open for future digital transformation and an AI-oriented business strategy.
A huge thank you to the team for the hard work (including some very late nights and weekend!) and to the Careers Service at the University of Oxford for facilitating this opportunity. Looking forward to tackling more consulting challenges in the future!
How to take part in the Oxford Strategy Challenge
To apply for the next Oxford Strategy Challenge, you must complete the application form on CareerConnect. Demand for this programme is high and an early application is advised. Find out more and apply now for The Oxford Strategy Challenge.
The Challenge aims to provide Oxford University undergraduate and postgraduate students with real-world client experience and development opportunities across key employment skills that you can deploy on your CV, cover letters, and at interviews.
