Kenya: Strathmore Team Wins Top Varsity Business Challenge

By Staff Writer

University of Strathmore students scooped the overall winners’ position of 2014 inaugural Varsity Business Challenge, dubbed “The world is your playground”, tramping other contestants from 19 universities on Friday August 22 at a final competition held at University of Nairobi, Kenya.

The three students, Ashna Patel, Winnie Onserio and Nishita Bakrania from Raging Achievers team,emerged the best, defeated 113 other teams of three students each to lift the trophy.

Second and third positions were occupied by Team Achievers, also from Strathmore, and Blue Chip from University of Nairobi, respectively.

The three-month nation-wide challenge was established by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a global body for professional accountants, which seeks to nurture the potential of varsity students by testing their preparedness to join the world stage of business.

“We planned the challenge because of issues such as employers complaining about graduates not being fit for business,” ACCA’s head of Kenya Anthony Kariuki said.

ACCA partnered with Standard Chartered Bank to support the challenge.

Sanjay Rughani, head of finance operations and change management Africa at Standard Chartered Bank, said, “This challenge allows students to explore possible strategic business and investment opportunities for the bank”.

Winners received modern electronic gadgets, iPads, while the 1st runner-ups got laptops. Smart phones were awarded to the 2nd runner-ups, with the teams’ mentors walking away with cash prizes of Sh50, 000, Sh30, 000 and Sh25, 000, respectively.

Africa has been urged by the international business community to invest in university students, as they have the potential to improve the nature and how business is conducted in the continent, by partnering with global companies in equipping them with hands on skills and funds for innovations.