ITB Student Win Global Entrepreneurship Summer School

Oleh Hafshah Najma Ashrawi

Editor Hafshah Najma Ashrawi

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - boast news this time comes from the Global Entrepreneurship Summer School event (18-26/09/13) in Munich, Germany. This year, GESS the theme "Rethinking Education" which focus on discussing the issues in the field of education globally. William Lautama (Industrial Engineering 2008) is one of the 35 participants were selected from all over the world as the sole representative of Indonesia. Thirty-five youth who have an interest in the field of entrepreneurship is collected in Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship to produce innovative solutions that can solve the problem within global scale.
GESS is an annual program organized by 4Entrepreneurship, a joint institutions 4 universities in Munich, Germany and entrepreneurship institute, respectively: LMU Entrepreneurship Center (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat, Munich), the Center for Technology and Innovation Management (uniBw Munich), the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (University of Applied Sciences, Munich) and the UnternehmerTUM (Technische Universitat, Munich). This prestigious event presents a variety of participants from various countries such as Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, and others. all participants to work in an international and multidisciplinary teams to develop a business concept that has great social influence in the field of education. Development of the concept were also assisted by an experienced team of Summer School.

"Bullying" as a Main Issue

In this GESS program , all participants were given materials on how to assess and analyze the problem and how to build a good social business in the first three days . At the next SIX days , all the participants were divided randomly into six teams to discuss and formulate the best social business concept as a solution . With the team " LoHoop ", William and his friends were selected as the Overall Winner Team with the aim to help the victims of bullying as a social problem that wanted to be resolved .

Bullying was chosen by William and his friends as a major focus of concern due to the problem of bullying will impact especially in the realm of education. Bullying that occured in the form of verbal , virtual , and physical abuse can cause physical injury , decreased performance , or even suicide . William proposed solution concept and fellow comrades is an application with user target victims of bullying and those who had been in the position of victim . At the end of the program , participants made a presentation in front of the judges and the audience coming from various regions in Munich .

Invaluable Experience

William claimed interested to pursue the field of entrepreneurship since college . William started early interest from a desire to be more independent and made a work that can bring some changes . Interest is what motivates GESS William to follow it this year . When asked about the ups and downs during the GESS program , William claimed the preparation and administration of the funds is the biggest challenge . " One of my best memories at GESS is the first day . The simple fact of being surrounded by new friends from almost all the world was so fun and wonderful . Moreover the make Indonesia proud by Become the Overall Winner , " he said .

During the GESS , William claimed to get a lot of things . Recognize entrepreneurship from a broader perspective ; opportunity to get to know the education system , economic , social , and culture of various countries in the world , and experience working in an international team with team members from Germany , Argentina , and Ukraine . " Not just tuition and materials , I also had the opportunity to enjoy the city of Munich and follow the Oktoberfest , the biggest festival in Germany " said William to Kantor Berita ITB. William also did a solo adventure travel in europe after GESS program .

William admitted he learned a lot from the people around him . William who is also an admirer of Richard Branson was at first hesitant to follow entrepreneurship competitions or conferences , but the support and friends and those closest to him also became the motivation to try . "Do what you love and do it often, " said William as he closed the interview .

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