This year's highest award for the hardest CIM course goes to a delegate from Cambridge Marketing College. William Grobel beat off over 2,000 other students to achieve the joint Top Paper for Strategic Marketing in Practice in the Best Worldwide Students Awards.

Marketing Manager & Consultant William joined brand valuation consultancy ‘Intangible Business' in London three years ago. William started studying with Cambridge Marketing College for his Professional Diploma and continued straight on with the Professional Post Graduate Diploma.

This award is drawn from all delegates of the CIM Strategic Marketing in Practice paper in the academic year 2006 - 2007. The Post Graduate Diploma is the CIM's worldwide and most senior qualification. The final paper, Strategic Marketing in Practice, is a case study which has to be researched and analysed over a five week period. During the final exam the delegate then has to make comprehensive recommendations to the theoretical organisation in the case study.

The London based delegate studied through Cambridge Marketing College's Guildford study centre and sat his exams back in December 2006. William puts his success down to disciplined study and the support he received from Cambridge Marketing College: "The Cambridge Marketing College deserves significant credit for helping me win this award. The tutors, notes, website and courses were all invaluable resources which were put at my disposal in an organised and friendly manner."

"The tutor, David Kilburn, was extremely knowledgeable, responsive and delivered the course with his unique sense of humour. Top marks all round." SMiP tutor David Kilburn, who has been teaching this paper for four years and frequently has a 100% pass rate with his cohort, added: ‘William picked up the key issues immediately and was able to quickly develop an in-depth knowledge of the challenges of the Diploma"