Tsinghua SEM and HEC Paris announce on March 9 the launch of a premier competition, the "Shanghai 2010 Award," a Business Project competition open to students and young entrepreneurs worldwide.

The topic of the competition is "Entrepreneurship and the Sustainable City."

Related to Shanghai Expo 2010 theme "Better City, Better Life", the Shanghai 2010 Award Competition aims:

- to raise awareness among business students and young entrepreneurs about the opportunities and challenges of sustainable urban development;

- to identify and promote business projects or new business models contributing to better urban life;

- to allow students and young entrepreneurs with innovative concepts to meet and present their projects to international leading companies with a major commitment to sustainable development.

Dean of Tsinghua SEM Professor QIAN Yingyi says: "Candidates are welcome to build on significant projects or situations they are experiencing in their own national environment. They are expected to bring forward innovative ideas and proposals."

"The contest is open to all students worldwide. We expect them to focus on one dimension of sustainable development that they consider to be a major business opportunity or key avenue for sustainable economic growth in a specific urban environment", says Professor Bernard Ramanantsoa, Dean of HEC Paris.

Registration runs from March 9, 2010 to April 30, 2010, 12:00 Paris time. In teams of three, candidates are expected to submit a documented 8000-word long business project.

The Scientific Committee, composed of representatives of University Partners, will then identify the top 100 Business Projects and the 30 Nominees. On May 28, 2010, the Jury, composed of representatives of Corporate Sponsors and University Partners, will choose the Prize Winners among the nominees.

The Award ceremony will be held on July 15, 2010 in Shanghai.

The prize consists of a four-day stay in Shanghai, including travel, food and accommodation, plus access to the Shanghai World Expo 2010 for the three finalist teams. In addition, the finalists will be awarded monetary prizes* and they will have the opportunity to meet representatives of the international and Chinese business community.

* First prize is 4,800 euro, second prize is 3,600 euro, and third prize is 2,400 euro (to be shared out among team members).