Australia’s largest virtual business international trade fair will be held next week and organisation of the event can be credited to business management students in The University of Queensland Foundation Year Program.
The International Trade Fair 2006, to be held at the RNA showgrounds from May 11 to 13, is a business learning event, allowing students to become involved in event management, setting-up virtual trading booths representing virtual firms, and taking part in virtual business trading.
Senior Lecturer in Business Management, UQ Foundation Year, Dave Craven said the fair is expected to attract 1000 Australian and overseas participants who are keen to develop their business skills.
“It will provide business students with the opportunity to practice in a virtual environment while they gain experience of the real world,” Mr Craven said.
“They can also network with fellow students engaged in managing online businesses that require sales and marketing skills.”
The event will involve seminars and business information sessions, as well as a number of virtual booths set-up by university, TAFE and high school students.
Members of the public, students and university delegates are then able to take part by using the booths to do virtual trading.
Traders will be provided with virtual cash vouchers, allowing them to purchase virtual products from the booths, representing about 40 virtual trading firms. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest sales.
All practice firms at the fair are formed from a partnership comprising a training provider linked with leading companies able to mentor students. They are also linked to the Australian Network of Practice Firms (ANPF) for the purpose of enterprise education.
The UQ Foundation Year Program is provided by International Education Services and is a bridging course that prepares international students for study in all UQ programs.
Over 350 UQ Foundation Year business students have been involved in organising the international trade fair as a learning project but they already participate in the management of the virtual firm Universal Global Resources (UGR), one of 150 virtual firms in Australia and one of about 4000 such firms globally. UGR will have four booths at the fair.
UGR is Australia’s biggest practice firm and is located at the headquarters of the Foundation Year Program. Business management students from 25 countries are involved in UGR’s management.
Mr Craven said the International Trade Fair Brisbane 2006 offered rare opportunities to students.
“Learning business strategies in a simulated setting that is combined with face-to-face professional interactions involving the business sector, as will occur at the trade fair, is rarely available to a diverse mix of students from schools and tertiary institutions,” he said.
“The fair’s theme of Entrepreneurs: The Youth of Today and Leaders of Tomorrow suggests a much needed recognition of achievement, accomplishment and success by students in their business endeavours.”
Highlight events at the trade fair include:
• an international food banquet on Thursday May 11
• visits to Brisbane businesses on Friday May 12
• practice firm booths at the RNA Showgrounds on Saturday May 13.
Keynote speakers are Philip di Bella of Di Bella Coffee and Victoria Brown of Lusty Threads and RedChilli Marketing.
For more information about the fair, go to: www.tradefair2006.com
For more information about the UQ Foundation Year, go to: www.foundationyear.com
Media: Dr Malgosia Zlobicki, Business Management, IES - UQ Foundation Year (07 3832 7699, mob: 0410 511 612, email: zlobicki@fdn.uq.edu.au)
