Enactus University of Johannesburg

Enactus, known before October 2012 as Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), is an international non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. Participating students form teams on their university campuses and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. An annual series of regional and national competitions provides a forum for teams to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges. National champion teams advance to the prestigious Enactus World Cup. In addition to the community aspect of the program, Enactus leadership and career initiatives create opportunities for learning and exchange among the participants as well as the placement of students and alumni with companies in search of emerging talent.
Enactus, formerly SIFE, was established in 1975 in the United States. The founder was Robert T. Davis, a lawyer from Texas. He founded Enactus on behalf of the National Leadership Institute. Enactus was originally a regional leadership training program attended by university students who were required to teach their communities what they had learned. Eventually, these university students were judged competitively on the outcomes of their efforts. The principle remains the same today but the scope has been broadened to encompass both teaching and learning through practical application of knowledge and skills gained at university, in the wider community by means of student-designed outreach projects.
Enactus projects are undertaken by highly dedicated student teams of more than 1,600 university campuses in 39 countries. Enactus offers these students the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise, in hopes of improving the standard of living for millions in the process. Guided by distinguished faculty advisors and supported by businesses around the globe, Enactus Teams teach important concepts through educational outreach projects, including market economics, entrepreneurship, personal and financial success, and business ethics to better themselves, their communities and their countries. Each year, Enactus competitions are held worldwide, drawing together thousands of students and business leaders to pay tribute to these educational outreach projects.
Central to the competitions are the criteria to which each team is judged. These remain the same throughout the world.:[2]

The previous Enactus criteria were as follows: How effectively did the Enactus team measure and demonstrate that it created economic opportunity by helping others:

Understand how a market based economic system operates.
Acquire the education and skills training needed to succeed in a dynamic, competitive global economy.
Learn how to succeed as an entrepreneur and/or improve an existing business.
Develop the personal financial management skills necessary to achieve financial independence.
Make environmentally sustainable personal and business decisions.
Understand that the long-term success and prosperity of a market economy, businesses and individuals are dependent on ethical business practices.
How successfully did the team develop and execute a strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of their team and educational programs.

Starting in the 2010-2011 Year, Enactus has changed its criteria into one criterion. The criterion is as follows:

``Considering the relevant economic, social and environmental factors, which Enactus team most effectively empowered people in need by applying business and economic concepts and an entrepreneurial approach to improve their quality of life and standard of living.``