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UFS Accounting students win Project Alpha competition

21 June 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Ernst & Young

UFS Accounting Students win EY Project Alpha — At the Ernst & Young Project Alpha 2019 Awards, some of the members of the winning team, from left: Kyle du Bruyn, Luke Rhode, Janri du Toit, Nicolaas van Zyl, Mojalefa Mosala (Business Ethics Lecturer), Bianca Malan, Lorandi Koegelenberg and Frans Benecke.

A few years ago the news was saturated with Volkswagen’s (VW) fuel emission scandal. “Dieselgate”. Investigations in the US found the German automaker guilty of programming computers in their diesel cars to alter its engine operations to seemingly meet legal emission standards.

A question of ethics

A notice of violation of the Clean Air Act issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency had dire consequences for the automobile company, but positive implications for the economy and the environment. As part of a lawsuit settlement, vehicles were recalled, fines were paid, and approximately 21 million affected vehicles with VW diesel engines were refitted by September 2015.

Project Alpha tackles ethical issues

A group of eight students from the University of the Free State (UFS) presented their case study of “Dieselgate” to a panel of judges in this year’s Ernst & Young Project Alpha competition. They emerged as the ultimate winners.

The “Hoaxwagen” group’s 10-minute video demonstrated “a critical assessment of a multidimensional matter” captivating the judges. “I was impressed, because their presentation addressed other skills such as the ability to present, communicate, come out of their comfort zone and be innovative, while at the same time addressing an ethical issue,” said Mojalefa Mosala, a judge and Business Ethics lecturer at the UFS.

Centred on critical thinking

The UFS is the first university outside of Johannesburg that participated in the Project Alpha contest. Ernst & Young and the UFS have forged a strong relationship over the past few years, giving students a glimpse into the corporate world of accounting.

“Project Alpha encourages critical thinking and not taking things at face value, by looking a bit deeper, spending time to understand the pros and cons of any situation in order to make an informed decision,” said Frans Benecke, member. of the winning team that prevailed over 82 others. Benecke’s team walked away with R2000 shopping vouchers and a life-long learning experience.

Engaging in global conversations

Participation in the competition gave students the opportunity to be exposed to contemporary global thinking, which is strongly advocated in the UFS’s Integrated Transformation Plan.

UFS Accounting students win 2019 Ernst & Young Project Alpha competition from University of the Free State on Vimeo.

News Archive

A Kovsie friend in need is a Kovsie friend indeed

2015-09-23

Several student organisations have recently started
initiatives to lessen the burden on needy students,
and on the broader community. It is because of
these initiatives that donations of food, commodities
and clothes reached the No Student Hungry (NSH)
Bursary Programme at the University of the Free State.
Photo: René-Jean van der Berg

Kovsie students have often showed that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Several student organisations have recently started initiatives to lessen the burden on needy students, and on the broader community.

It is because of these initiatives that donations of food, commodities and clothes reached the No Student Hungry (NSH) Bursary Programme at the University of the Free State.

The Rag Community Service and NSH offices are extremely grateful to students and staff for their selfless donations, also in respect of the difference these initiatives are making to Kovsies’ chances of having a better future.

The food and commodities will be distributed to the community, while the clothing donations are used for regular clothing sales in order to raise funds.

The food donations included a substantial donation from the support organisation, Gift of the Givers. The organisation heard about the NSH Bursary Programme and, due to the scope of the student-hunger problem, decided to become involved.

“This is an excellent initiative, and the passion with which it is driven motivated us to make a donation,” said Ms Emily Thomas, representative from Gift of the Givers.

Ms Karen Scheepers, Assistant-Director: Student Life responsible for Rag Community Service, said the recent donations and initiatives are proof that the Kovsie community really cares for each other.

“I found it amazing how willing students were to help and to give. From the moment we asked for help, students arrived at our offices with loads of stuff.”

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