Sheffield Hallam Maths Students Tackle Real-World Credit Risk Project with Global Analytics Firm

For the second consecutive year, second-year students on Sheffield Hallam University’s BSc Mathematics degree have teamed up with 4most - a global leader in analytics consulting - for a vibrant, real-world credit risk project. This exciting collaboration was sparked by Brad Pilkington, one of our recent graduates and a former credit risk consultant at 4most. Thanks to this connection, our students gain invaluable, hands-on experience in statistical consultancy and specialized data analysis, giving them a potential head start toward a future career in data analytics.

Students worked in teams to analyse publicly available loan-level credit performance data from Freddie Mac, an American mortgage company. Their goal was to uncover how credit risk is influenced by various property and mortgage factors and to pinpoint which variables best predict whether a borrower defaults on their mortgage or falls behind on payments. Using industry-standard software SAS, students navigated the complex challenges of cleaning and merging large datasets, while applying advanced statistical techniques like logistic regression to build predictive models. They wrapped up their work by presenting their findings directly to Liz Lloyd, 4most’s Director of Data Governance; an experience that brought professional insight into the classroom.

Keith Harris, a lecturer on the Applied Mathematical and Statistical Modelling module, expressed his gratitude for the ongoing collaboration with 4most: “This partnership offers our students an invaluable opportunity to taste the practicalities of working in the credit risk industry - gaining insight into the field, presenting their statistical analyses, and receiving constructive feedback from a senior leader in data governance. It’s a rare and enriching experience, and we’re excited to continue growing this relationship so future cohorts of maths students can benefit from it as well.”