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Global Impact Industry Project

27 October 2023

Do you want to gain valuable real-world experience?  This is an exciting opportunity offered in Semester Two to work in an international team on a real-world project to help a company enhance its global impact.

HOW TO APPLY

The Global Impact Industry Project is designed to provide real-world experience to UC Business School students, while at the same time enabling businesses interested in overseas expansion to benefit from their unique knowledge and expertise.

It is an in-person programme that involves a mix of domestic and international students working together in teams to undertake market research for Canterbury businesses considering entering a new international market or overseas businesses looking to enter the New Zealand market.

Teams will submit a report and give a presentation to the client at the end of the programme, designed to inform the expansion strategy of the organisation.

The final presentations will be judged by an expert from UC Business School, with input from the client, and the winning teams will get a share of a $1,500 cash prize pool.


“I gained significant exposure to Chinese culture and market dynamics by collaborating with my peers and mentors as we created innovative strategies for a New Zealand company seeking to expand its product line in China. I think as domestic students, we get to bring our unique perspectives on marketing and business to the table, while benefitting from the wealth of first-hand knowledge our peers possess about doing business in China and other international markets. This dynamic exchange allows us to glean invaluable insights and effectively apply ourselves in a broader, international context.”

- Salena Uditi Sinha, 2023 programme participant


“I'm from China and because of my real-life experience, I know how Chinese companies do marketing campaigns. When I get to New Zealand it is a totally different commerce environment, but I can apply something I learned from the Chinese market to the New Zealand market. By combining different models of thinking, it can create really interesting and creative ideas.”

- Jenny Jin, 2022 programme participant

The Global Impact Industry Project is a great opportunity to gain experience and learn more about working with a New Zealand business. It also enables you to demonstrate what you can bring to local businesses.  For example, a 2021 report found that 61% of South Island businesses surveyed believe that Asia is important to their future, but 57% identified a lack of language skills as a barrier and 51% identified a lack market knowledge. You are uniquely placed to fill this gap, and the Global Impact Industry Project allows you to showcase this.

The Global Impact Industry Project is a great opportunity to gain experience working in an international team on a real-life international business project.  This is essential whatever your major, and whether you plan to launch your career in New Zealand or abroad, given how global and interconnected the world of business is today. 

This is an unpaid programme towards which you are expected to dedicate at least  70 hours of your time. Its main purpose is to build your professional experience and skills.

The programme runs throughout Semester Two and has been designed specifically to not clash with the busiest academic periods of the semester. 

2024 Key Dates:

  • Programme launch - Friday, 26 July 2024, 3 - 6pm
  • First client meeting - Week 3, day and time to be confirmed based on availability
  • Advisor meeting - Week 3, day and time to be confirmed based on availability 
  • Speed mentoring - Friday, 9 August 2024, 3 - 6pm
  • Second client Meeting – Term break, day and time to be confirmed based on availability
  • Advisor meeting – Term break, day and time to be confirmed based on availability Presentation workshop, Friday, 20 September 2024, 3 - 6pm
  • Third client meeting- Week 8, day and time to be confirmed based on availability 
  • Advisor meeting - Week 9, day and time to be confirmed based on availability 
  • Final presentations - Friday, 4 October 2024, time to be confirmed based on availability

The Global Impact Industry Project can be done as an extra-curricular experience or as the internship/placement component of the PACE295 course, which can be used as a 15-point 200-level elective towards the Bachelor of Commerce.

You need to meet ALL the requirements listed below to be able to apply for this internship:

  • Current University of Canterbury student
  • 120 points completed at UC (or equivalent at a partner institution) of which at least 30 points must be from Commerce courses (any two MGMT, ACCT, ECON, FINC, INFO, BSNS, or MKTG papers)
  • At least one semester completed at UC with a B- GPA (or equivalent) 
News stories about previous programmes
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