Previously called the Enterprise Olympics, the inaugural event was launched from the International Space Station in 2002, and the following year the then Chancellor and now Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, announced the challenge in a live web stream.  As many as 5000 young people from 200 schools and colleges around the world now take part each year.

Gordon Mcvie formerly of Careers Scotland developed the GEC in 2001. Since inception the GEC has gone from strength to strength, and in 2008 involved 14 countries with some 2000 students taking part from up to 140 schools and college worldwide.

GEC was hosted by Careers Scotland for the first five years, by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2007 and by Australian Business Week in 2008, when the German State of Rhineland Palatinate hosted a European Hub for countries unable to travel to Sydney.

GEC enjoys the support of NASA and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), with the latter awarding a gold medal to the winning team and individual certificates to each team member.  

Fourteen countries from five continents will take part in this year’s Challenge:

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, Norway, Poland, England, Scotland, Wales, USA

It is expected that teams representing four countries will join Scotland at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, with the remaining nine countries competing remotely.

The GEC is a two stage event

Stage 1

A National Challenge involving nine Australian teams conducted over 24 hours, at the conclusion of which the winning team will be chosen to represent Australia. At the beginning of the 24hours, the teams are given a challenge. Teams must then work to create an idea, a prototype, business plan, Power Point presentation and video presentation. The challenge will be announced via video/web link to each team. Stage one concludes with the judging of the national competition and the selection of the national representative team.

Stage 2

An international challenge involving 14 countries. Each country will have their national winning team present via the web to an international panel of judges. The international challenge is being coordinated by Gordon McVie at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.