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ECU Project Management Students Reach Finals in the Procure for Impact University Challenge

Thursday, 03 September 2026

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  • (L-R): Dr Neda Kiani Mavi, Elena Metzko, Bahareh Riazatkeshfard, Saman Taghipour and Associate Professor Flavio Romero Macau.

    (L-R): Dr Neda Kiani Mavi, Elena Metzko, Bahareh Riazatkeshfard, Saman Taghipour and Associate Professor Flavio Romero Macau.

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Three Project Management students from the School of Business and Law have placed in the top 10 of the Procure for Impact University Challenge.

Competing against top universities across Australia and New Zealand, Project management students Saman Taghipour, Elena Metzko, and Bahareh Riazatkeshfard represented ECU in the national event.

Tackling local purchasing problems

This achievement highlights the value of Edith Cowan University's focus on practical, hands-on learning.

The ECU team focused on community buying rules for a government infrastructure program. They found that standard government approach usually favours large companies, leaving out small local businesses and First Nations suppliers.

To fix this issue, the team built a simple three-part plan. They suggested talking with local and Indigenous businesses early, adding clear social goals to contracts, and breaking big building projects into smaller regional tasks so local businesses can apply.

"Reaching the final is a fantastic achievement, particularly against teams from leading universities across Australia and New Zealand." Team supervisor Dr Neda Kiani Mavi said.

"However, what makes me most proud is not only the result, but the resilience, teamwork, and genuine care the students demonstrated throughout the competition."

Teamwork and career skills

The team used the fast-paced week as a step forward for their future careers. For Project Management student Saman Taghipour, tackling a real issue changed how the group viewed their learning.

"We had to come up with a solution to a real problem and then explain and defend our ideas to government representatives, so we had to take it seriously." Saman said. "We've worked hard together and have already built a great friendship."

Preparing students for the future

This success shows student excellence and the power of hands-on learning at ECU.

It also highlights ECU's work in training confident graduates who are ready to solve real problems in the workplace.

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