The challenge tests the business skills of UK undergraduates, placing teams of up to five as management consultants, responsible for improving the performance of a fictional company.

The six teams who won a place in the final were required to prepare a computer games company for stock market flotation. As well as making the company profitable, they maintained high levels of customer satisfaction and dealt with issues such as environmental policy and threats of litigation.

The Imperial team consisted of Chirag Patel, electrical engineering with management; Stuart Coleman, aeronautical engineering; Arlina Ariffin, aeronautical engineering; Sunil Patel, chemical engineering and Udayan Shiralkar, chemical engineering.

"As students outside the business world, the challenge gave us a great insight into how to make company decisions under pressure," said Chirag Patel.

"Above all, we learned how to work well as a team, a skill which will definitely stand us in good stead for the future."

Professor John Perkins, principal of the faculty of engineering, added: "We are very proud of our students' outstanding achievement. The faculty of engineering prides itself on the quality and relevance to business of its courses, and also on the quality of students we are able to attract.

"It is pleasing when these qualities can be practically demonstrated in this way."

The winning team, from the University of Sussex, was presented with a trophy and an award of £1,000. Imperial's team received the runner-up prize of £500. Further details can be found at www.learningdynamics.co.uk