6 March 2006
Wellington Software Firm Funds Annual Award
Otago University information science students to benefit from support
University of Otago Information Science students have been given a financial boost from the University’s alumni.
Wellington-based business software firm Provoke Solutions run by Gabrielle Lovering (a University of Otago alumna) and
Mason Pratt have established an annual award for students studying the Information Systems Development Project – a core
paper within the Information Science programme.
The paper requires students, in teams, to develop a systems prototype which could be used to solve a real, practical
problem encountered in the business world.
Past projects have included a bookings system for Dunedin’s Fortune Theatre, an ordering and sales system for Vol. 1
Bookshop; an enrolments, accounts, and events management system for the Dunedin Swimming Club; a stock management system
for Tablet Colour Print; and a project management system for Dunedin-based e-business solutions company, eMedia.
From this year on, the top team will be awarded $1000 by Provoke Solutions.
“The Information Systems Development Project has always been a capstone of the Information Science degree providing
students with a vehicle to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. The Provoke Solutions award of $1000 now
offers student a tangible reward for their work. It’s fantastic that it’s coming from our alumni,” says Professor George
Benwell, Head of the Department of Information Science.
The Information Science programme, run from the School of Business, can be studied as a major of a Bachelor of Arts,
Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Science.
The course teaches the practical applications of information and communication technologies and e-business.
ENDS