NOW in its fourth year, the Newstalk student enterprise competition, in association with The Irish Times, was launched today at the Limerick Institute of Technology this week where the competition is designed to develop an understanding of business management and promote early-stage entrepreneurship among third level students.
Using a case study format, the competition encourages participants to research companies and, as part of a team, devise solutions to real life business scenarios. A record 1,300 students, across 330 teams, from Ireland’s 15 Institutes of Technology and the National College of Ireland, entered the 2008/2009 competition, which was won by a team from the National College of Ireland.
Mr Denis O’Brien, Competition Chairperson, said, “Since its introduction in 2006, the Newstalk 106-108 fm Student Enterprise Competition has gone from strength to strength. It gives students the opportunity to work together outside their normal college environment and allows participants to put into practice the knowledge they have gained from their studies. Now, more than ever, it is essential that the business community across the country helps to support and develop the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs.”
The competition is exclusively open to students from Ireland’s 15 Institutes of Technology and the National College of Ireland. Teams must submit written proposals to their local co-ordinator for the first round, which will be judged by their colleges. The top four entries from each college will then be given a second case study on which they present their submission to their local judging committee.
Each of the 16 judging committees will consist of top local business and media representatives as well as a local INTRE (Irish Network of Teachers and Researchers of Entrepreneurship) representative. The winning team from each of the ITs will receive prize money along with accommodation and hospitality in Dublin for the National Semi-Final and Final in February, 2010 at the National College of Ireland.
The overall prize for the winning team and its team coach is a study trip to the Caribbean where they will shadow senior executives in leading telecommunications company, Digicel Group.
The closing date for entries is Wednesday, October 14 and entry forms must be completed through the competition website www.newstalk.ie/studententerprise. The first case study will be available online from Thursday, October 15 and proposals must be submitted to the local co-ordinator by Tuesday November 3.
Ronan O’Brien head of business department LIT with Mary Sherry Student Enterprise Competition manager pictured launching the search for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
