2021-2025

Success in the 12th Edition of the Nationwide FINSIM Academic League 2023/2024

Students from the master's programs in International Finance and Banking and the Finance in Enterprises ACCA module at the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk, achieved success in the 12th edition of the nationwide FINSIM Academic League 2023/2024, securing 5th place out of 10 teams across the country.

The team from the Faculty of Economics consisted of:

• Marcin Antczak, International Economic Relations, International Finance and Banking specialization, 1st year of full-time studies
• Julia Dudalska, Economics, Finance in Enterprises ACCA specialization, 1st year of part-time studies
• Martyna Olender, Economics, Finance in Enterprises ACCA specialization, 1st year of part-time studies
• Przemysław Sadowski, International Economic Relations, International Finance and Banking specialization, 1st year of full-time studies
• Patryk Węglewski, Economics, Finance in Enterprises ACCA specialization, 1st year of part-time studies

It is worth noting that the group of students had previously completed their bachelor's studies in International Economic Relations, specializing in International Finance and Banking, and are now collaborating on business and financial challenges.

As the management team of UniVerek Bank GDN S.A., our students competed against teams from universities across Poland, including the University of Economics in Katowice, the University of Zielona Góra, the University of Economics in Kraków, the University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów University of Technology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, the University of Economics in Poznań, the University of Łódź, and the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.

In the competition, teams managed fictional banks over eight quarters, equivalent to two full years of operations. Decisions involved managing the bank's assets and liabilities, as well as other decisions concerning marketing strategies, wage policies, and investments. The goal was to maximize shareholder value, and the effectiveness was evaluated based on the bank's stock price and credit rating.

The competition was conducted under the guidance of Mentors, experienced bankers Andrzej Rygiel and Michał Bellwon. The culmination of all teams' efforts was the General Shareholders' Meeting on June 6, 2024, during which leaders of each bank presented the strategy adopted by the Management Board and the achieved results, allowing for further competition decisions up to the final one.

The competition was undoubtedly a significant challenge for the team, allowing them to delve into the fascinating world of banking and finance while applying the knowledge gained during their studies in practice. As the Management Board, the team gained a deeper understanding of the mechanisms governing the simulation and the banking world, enabling them to make informed decisions and overcome challenges in the simulation game, such as pandemics or wars. The competition provided a wealth of additional knowledge, interesting insights, and conclusions regarding bank management, and in some sense, helped verify their future plans.

The competition was organized by the Warsaw Institute of Banking under the patronage of the Polish Bank Association and supported by PWC, the Bank Guarantee Fund, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, and the National Bank of Poland.

We wish our students continued success!

Link to the article and full commentary:

http://www.liga.finsim.pl/wyniki-2/

Awarded theses of International Finance and Banking Graduates

On April 18, 2024, the finals of the 27th edition of the Master's Thesis Competition and the 20th edition of the Bachelor's Thesis Competition for 2023, awarded by the Polish Economic Society's Gdańsk Branch, took place.

We are pleased to announce that International Finance and Banking students received the following awards and distinctions:

Main prize in the 27th edition of the Master's Thesis Competition:

Mr. Wojciech Kamiński for his thesis titled "The Economic Aspect of Energy Transition in Poland with Particular Emphasis on the Use of Nuclear Energy in the Light of International Solutions," supervised by Dr. Łukasz Dopierała (Department of International Business, Division of International Financial Markets).

Distinction in the 20th edition of the Bachelor's Thesis Competition:

Mr. Przemysław Sadowski for his thesis titled "Armed Conflicts with Particular Emphasis on Their Impact on the Functioning of the Capital Market in Conflict-Affected Countries," supervised by Dr. Sławomir Antkiewicz (Department of International Business, Division of International Financial Markets).

The final ceremony was held in the presence of the competition laureates and their thesis supervisors, representatives of the competition's Patrons and Partners, and members of the Board, Scientific Council, and Competition Committee of the Polish Economic Society Gdańsk Branch. A full report on the ceremony is available on the PTE website. 

Awarded thesis of an International Finance and Banking Graduate 

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Martyna Komenda, a graduate of International Economic Relations at the University of Gdańsk, specializing in International Finance and Banking, was distinguished in the Jubilee 25th Edition of the Prof. Lucjan Hofman Competition for the Best Master's Thesis.

Her thesis, titled "Relative and Absolute Return Strategy – Efficiency Study Based on ETF and Absolute Return Funds," was supervised by Dr. Sławomir Antkiewicz.

The competition jury emphasized that the thesis was particularly appreciated by the Committee members and presented a very high substantive level.

The thesis will be published on thej PTE website in the Knowledge Zone section. The award ceremony took place on March 24, 2022. A full report on the event is available on the Polish Economic Society's Gdańsk Branch website.