One goal for Sunway TES CAE Accounting students

Sunway TES Centre for Accountancy Excellence (CAE) recently hosted the International Enterprise Challenge, organised by its former Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) student, Stephen Lee How Hwang, in collaboration with Premier League, Premier Skills and the British Council.

Utilising the global appeal of the English football Premier League, the International Enterprise Challenge aims to engage, inspire and unlock potential amongst 14 to 19 year old Sunway TES CAE accounting students by developing their business and enterprising skills through examples drawn from the commercial football sector.

Team Vantage, the winning team with Stephen Lee How Hwang (third from right)

A total of 70 Sunway TES CAE students in 14 teams came up with 14 business plans. Nearly half of the participants were initially clueless about football but fell in love with it after going through a two-day intensive workshop before the competition. Their business plans focused on how a local professional football club can increase its fan base and how to attract more live football match audience in stadiums.

Participants were judged not only by their ideas, but also their presentation slides and skills, time management, teamwork and research data. The top three teams were given vouchers with a total value of RM2250 sponsored by Sunway TES CAE.

Participants and judges of the Sunway TES International Enterprise Challenge

Team Vantage, comprised of Low Shu Yie, Wong Carmen, Tan Chia Yang, Tan Pei Yong and Teo Jun Yong emerged champion. Their proposal was an online social game website relating to football where players can learn about football through mini games, then further earn points to redeem discounts for football merchandises or entry to live matches while generating income through advertising space. The interactive mini games are customised to the latest trends to capture interests of non-football lovers.

The first runner up title went to Team Creative Minds, consisting Pujjathini Chelvam, Wong Zi En, Goh Bo Ren, Foong Ai Na and Cohen Yap Ming Zhen, whose core idea was to give fans unique football experience. For example, ‘pink seat’ with better safety and security for mothers and young children, free glowing sticks for ‘night light football match’ and a football academy for young children to train them into professional football players.

Team Demons, formed by Chang Jiah Horng, Liew Li Ting, Chuah Hui Hua, Frederick Ng Cher Hann and Chia Wai Kin, were second runner up. Their ideas revolved around special football match themes like magic and Madagascar. The audience get to dress up as wizards or animals according to the themes. High profile fashion Youtubers and bloggers will be invited to dress up and attend the live match. Special thematic merchandises for sale and the mobile application ‘KICKOFF’ will be developed as a voting system for audiences to vote for individuals with best costumes.

Following the competition at Sunway TES, the champion Team Vantage continued to compete against four other participating schools or institutions at the national level with the same presentation. Team Vantage emerged second runner up, after a close call to qualify for the international level UK Enterprise Challenge finals.

The competition was brought in to Sunway TES CAE for the first time by Stephen, currently the Assistant Manager of Sunway Group Internal Audit. Prior to that, he participated in a 6-day training programme in Danang, Vietnam to learn the needed knowledge and skills to run the competition.

Teo Ee Sing, Executive Director of Sunway College was pleased with Stephen’s efforts in introducing and running the competition at Sunway TES CAE. “Here at Sunway, we encourage our students to participate in any kind of competition and activities to gain exposure to grow into all-rounded individuals.”

Sunway TES CAE provides professional accounting programmes including ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), CAT (Certified Accounting Technician), ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales), CFAB (Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business), MICPA (Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants), CIA (Certified Internal Auditors), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst. One can also choose the home grown programmes – Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Professional Accounting.