CQU’s Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) students will showcase their talents and accomplishments in the 2004 National Competition to students and business people from all around the world in Melbourne this weekend.

CQU SIFE students Paul Dutney, Robert Sims, Michael Ginsburg and Amanda Murphy will compete against teams from more than 40 universities.

A prize pool of $35,000 is available for distribution, together with medals and trophies.

All competing participants will be recognised with a medal and certificate of participation and if nominated the SIFE Australia National Champion will be granted the right to represent Australia at the SIFE World Cup in the UK.

Successful SIFE projects are made possible by student members working together, with the guidance of their mentor to: devise, develop, deliver and document innovative community outreach projects that teach others skills for life based on their own study.

Students also discover ways to fund their projects, manage their teams, publicise their activities, network with business executives and have fun doing all of these things.

Each chapter prepares an annual report and an oral presentation with multimedia support to describe their projects and results achieved over a period of one year.

The presentations are judged by senior business executives to determine which chapter has delivered the most effective program.

CQU SIFE team supervisor Katrina Schipper said “CQU SIFE students create new futures for themselves and for others through entrepreneurial outreach projects”.

“The SIFE aim is to provide students with the opportunity to develop skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication, as well as the opportunity to make a difference.

"CQU SIFE’s current projects include the student computer loan scheme in collaboration with COIN, ‘how-to’ computer tutorials and the CQU SIFE website. Future projects include a documentary concerning the university student life and cultural classes,” Ms Schipper said.

The National SIFE competition will not be all work for our CQU representatives. Employers will be working to gain the attention of promising students to consider vacation and graduate employment with their companies at a day long Career Fair and sponsored lunch and dinner functions.

SIFE is an international non-profit organisation that is established on university campuses worldwide.

The CQU chapter of SIFE was established three years ago and has represented CQU for the last two years.

For details contact Amanda or Olive on 4930 9542 or 4930 9691 or 0418 876 327.

Photo: Budding entrepreneurs (from left) Robert Sims, Michael Ginsburg and Amanda Murphy with team co-supervisor Olive Mallory (top right).