The China Fortune Social Venture Prize Final Competition was held on 8 August at UIC, with 30 teams participating. UIC teams won two of the eight Distinguished Prizes with the "Healthy Organic Fruit Distribution Project" and the "Teen Paradise Project". The two Outstanding Prizes were awarded to the ginseng project presented by the University of Nottingham Ningbo team, and the Soil Improvement project presented by the Xinjiang Shi He Zi University team. These ten teams will share the seed fund of up to 100,000 HKD donated by the organizer of the event, the China Fortune Foundation.
One of the UIC team, won the Distinguished Prizes with "Healthy Organic Fruit Distribution Project", with Karen Lee, the project mentor and Prof. Johnston Wong, Chief of UIC Student Affairs Office
"Healthy Organic Fruit Project" aimed at promoting organic fruit which could increase the income of its farmers. "Teen Paradise Project" aimed at increasing interaction between university students and the community.
Mr. Xu Zibing, Adviser of the Judging Committee, with representatives of the teams won Outstanding Prizes
The Shi He Zi team proposed to utilize daily wastes and wheat straws to improve the quality of the soil and slow down the process of soil degeneration in Xinjiang Province.
"Social ventures have a double objective: one, to solve social problems, and, the other, to make profit to keep the social venture running and growing," said Dr. Xie Jiaju, Chairman of the Judging Committee.
Deputy Secretary of Zhuhai Municipal Government Mr. Li Li
President of UIC, Prof. Ng Ching-fai Executive Vice President of UIC Prof. S. T. Kwok
Prof. Ng Ching-fai, President of UIC, said, in the opening remarks of the award ceremony, that the goal of this competition was to encourage university students to make contribution to society and the nation while pursuing their own dreams.
Mr. Li Ruliang, Chairman of the China Fortune Foundation, said the Foundation would continue to support the winning teams with managerial and professional assistance. The operators of the social ventures would receive a salary and bonus. He also revealed that the Prize would be held annually.
Chairman of the China Fortune Foundation, Mr. Li Ruliang
The China Fortune Venture Prize attracted 290 teams from 104 universities in the Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. 30 teams made it into the final competition. The judges were made up of professionals and experts from different sectors, including scholars, senior managers, lawyers, and public official. Priority was given to the practicability, social responsibility, and creativity of business proposals. As one of the organizers, UIC was not involved in the judging process of this competition.
Before the final competition, the 30 teams received a three-day training programme at UIC, which covered a wide range of activities including experiential development, emotional intelligence, social venture establishment, and public speaking.
Reporter: Cheryl Chen
Photo: Richard Xu
Translation: Mercury Deng
MPRO
