Waikato Uni wins NZ round / heads to Paris

Media information :17 July 2006

A team from the University of Waikato has won a trip to Paris to represent New Zealand in the SIFE World Cup.

SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) is a global non-profit organisation that mobilises university students to create economic opportunity for others. SIFE students form teams on their university campuses and develop outreach projects that teach entrepreneurship, market economics, business ethics and finance in their communities.

The New Zealand shoot-out saw two finalists (AUT and Waikato) chosen from the nation-wide entries from six universities.

Both AUT and Waikato have competed on the world stage before, with AUT the 2005 representative and Waikato representing NZ in 2004, with both teams making the finals in the World Cup.

At the SIFE World Cup, the top SIFE teams in the world present the results of their outreach projects to determine which teams made the most impact on their communities.

The range of projects completed by entrants this year included a cultural and budgeting programme aimed at helping foreign students adjust to NZ, a health awareness programme, a Rwanda-based small business opportunity and projects aimed at interceding with at risk juveniles and offering mentoring and skills development.

SIFE NZ chairman John Cunningham said the projects showed a diverse range of activities by the students which had clearly made a sound contribution to a number of local communities.

“The teams needed to demonstrate active projects with some completed activities, as well as a structure that is sustainable over future years,” he said.

“Both the quality of the projects and the team presentations were a step up from previous years and we believe Waikato stands a very good chance at the World Cup in September.”

www.sife.org.

ENDS

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