Uni entrepreneurs show confidence

A team of entrepreneurs from Massey University is confident of success at an inter-university business challenge today.

The five-strong Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team is competing in Auckland against teams from several universities.

The Massey students, who all study business topics at the Manawatu campus, will present an online educational tool they have developed to a panel of judges made up of leading businessmen.

Massey SIFE vice president marketing Reuben Prier said the tool was an online educational platform for teaching numeracy at Ross Intermediate. The educational aid involves filming teachers explaining a concept with the video then posting it online for students to refer to from home.

Mr Prier said the project would be judged on its impact on the environment, society and economy. The winning team will represent New Zealand at an international competition in Kuala Lumpur.

"We definitely believe we will have the best project," Mr Prier said. "The question is whether it's been going long enough."

Mr Prier said the team had a short-term goal of rolling out the programme across all classes at Ross Intermediate before expanding it across all intermediate schools in Manawatu. The team aims to have the programme used nationally within five years.

The project was inspired by a similar facility at Massey where lectures are recorded and posted online.

Mr Prier said the goal was to create something that was helpful for students and which could inspire intermediate students to become lifelong learners.

He said the group was looking for fellow Massey students to join SIFE, as well as business mentors and sponsors from Manawatu. The group had been meeting since late last year and hoped to develop a portfolio of projects as more students became involved.

SIFE is an international non-profit student organisation that aims to mobilise university students to make a difference in their community while developing their skills as socially responsible business leaders.

- © Fairfax NZ News