SIFE – Student In Free Enterprise – is a global non-profit organisation active in more than 40 countries across the world.

SIFE University of Malta (SIFE UMT) was launched in October 2005. It is funded by financial contributions from corporations, entrepreneurs, foundations, government agencies and individuals.

Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. Teams are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE’s five educational topics: market economics; success skills; entrepreneurship; financial literacy; business ethics.

SIFE UMT is currently working on four projects, three of which were recently nominated and awarded a grant provided by HSBC international, as one of SIFE’s global partner.

One of the awarded projects, named WE – Women Entrepreneurs – is targeting women, following the course “Women for Employment” provided by ETC – Employment and Training Corporation. Focus is set towards increasing Financial Literacy and encouraging the participants to achieve financial independence through entrepreneurship.

It is a statistical fact that only a low percentage of Maltese women leave their household to embark on a career life. The idea of this project is to lay the grounds for participants to better manage their finances and possibly start their own business venture.

Currently the project team is working on a booklet dedicated to financial literacy. It is going to be very basically written and as much as possible applied to everyday life. The team is also organising an entrepreneurial seminar, where a number of speakers will be invited to share their own experience in entrepreneurial world.

WE project is supported by the Employment and Training Corporation, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Small Businesses and Self-Employed in the Competitiveness and Communications Ministry and Foundation for Women Entrepreneurs.

SIFE UMT, backed up with its project portfolio, has been invited to take part in the European Symposium, a competition being held in Paris, France, later on in September 2006.

The European Symposium will be an opportunity to promote SIFE UMT, its strategic partners and Malta to countries from all over the world. Sponsorships from local companies are welcome to support either a particular project or SIFE UMT.

SIFE UMT represents the University of Malta and supported by the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy and the Education Department. The organisation is also supported by HSBC and Softual Developments.

For more information contact SIFE via email on [email protected] or mobile 79004007.