The Finance and Accounting Faculty at Emeris Durban North recently transformed the learning process into a race against time, as 107 third-year students of the IIE Bachelor of Accounting program participated in the annual Amazing Race.
Format and Objectives of the Event
Students from the Emeris Durban North Accounting Faculty replaced textbooks with teamwork, participating in an interactive competition designed to test both their academic knowledge and workplace skills. The annual Amazing Race, organized by the Finance and Accounting Faculty, brought together 107 third-year IIE Bachelor of Accounting students in a dynamic event combining learning and friendly rivalry.
Divided into 12 teams, students moved across eight campus stations, solving clues that led them to the next challenge. During the event, they completed tasks based on financial accounting, taxation, auditing, and management accounting and finance, including quizzes, puzzles, word searches, and Pictionary-style problems.
Application of Knowledge and Competence
This initiative aims to take learning beyond the traditional classroom, prompting students to apply their knowledge under pressure. Tasnim Bassa, a lecturer in Finance and Accounting at Emeris Durban North, noted that 'the Amazing Race is an extracurricular initiative that incorporates gamification into learning while strengthening competencies in relationships, business, and decision-making required by the SAICA framework of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.'
The annual event also attracts staff from various campus departments who volunteer to run the competition stations, creating a collaborative environment that mimics real-world teamwork. Senior Lecturer in Finance and Accounting Tamara Naidu said that the competition gives students an opportunity to develop practical skills through healthy competition.
Results and Participant Experience
The Orange team won first place after successfully completing all challenges. This winning team included Andrew James Lowe, Anele Mbele, Arian Deonarain, Ariana Francis, Ayush Gurdin, Brandon Dengler, Cameron Govender, Casey Alex Jones, and Chase Rungia. Rungia explained the team's success was due to collaboration and utilizing each member's strengths. He noted: 'We all had different strengths that we applied to different tasks. Each station was linked to our modules, so we needed to know our work to move forward. It was a very enjoyable experience.'
The Purple team took second place, consisting of Mohammed Yusuf Arbi, Mohammed Essak, Mohammed Yusuf Randeri, Mohammed Farouk Amra, Nabil Wally, Nakeesha Govender, Naseera Bucks, Nazmirah Sheikh, Neha Elina Bodri, and Nicholas Anthony Naidu. Wally stated that the event offered a refreshing alternative to traditional teaching methods. He added: 'It was a lot of fun, and we learned more from this experience than from a presentation. It forced us to think under pressure, like we do in the workplace.'
Naidu emphasized that the event achieved its goal of helping students develop important soft skills alongside technical expertise. She reported: 'They actively participated, interacted positively with both colleagues and facilitators, and constructively resolved disagreements. This initiative was aimed at developing and improving students' competencies in relationships and decision-making, and this goal was clearly achieved. Students demonstrated these skills in a lively, engaging, and enjoyable way.'
Through the combination of academic tasks with teamwork and problem-solving, the Amazing Race continues to provide Emeris students with an innovative educational experience, preparing them for the demands of the professional world.
