On Monday, 22 November 2021, two students in the Master of Science in Quantitative Economics and Finance (MScQEF) at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance were officially presented with a scholarship from the ABBL, the Luxembourg Bankers’ Association.
In her opening remarks, Katalin Ligeti, dean of the Faculty, emphasised the importance of excellence in research as one of the pillars of the one-year master programme which aims to prepare students for future doctoral studies in Economics or Finance.
Study programme director, Professor Andreas Irmen, gave insights into the content of the Master, stating that students learn “how to shift the research frontier forward, how to create new knowledge.” “We live in a data-driven world,” said Prof. Irmen, explaining the need for young researchers to be well-versed in statistics and econometrics. Prof. Irmen also stressed that the ABBL scholarship allows the University of Luxembourg to compete on a level-playing field in the tough global market for highly talented students with a research interest in Economics and Finance.
Catherine Bourin, member of the ABBL management board, emphasised the mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the ABBL, explaining how both organisations cooperate when it comes to developing course content, to make sure that students learn what is relevant for the industry. Ms. Bourin shared the case of a student from last year’s graduating class who was offered an internship and then a permanent position within the Sustainability and Conduct team of the ABBL.
This year, two outstanding students have been selected, Heng Yao and Szymon Kopyta. Ms. Yao joined the University of Luxembourg with a Bachelor of Engineering Management and a Master’s degree in Management Science from Tongji University in Shanghai, China. She is interested in both ESG and Fintech topics and hopes to complete her PhD in Luxembourg before working in the financial sector. When asked why she chose Luxembourg as a place to study, she recalls that Luxembourg is the second largest hub for asset management in the world.
Mr. Kopyta earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Informatics and Econometrics from the Poznan University of Economics and Business in Poznan, Poland. His research interests lie in the field of macroeconomics. Here, he is particularly interested in how economic growth may affect a country’s income and wealth distribution. Mr. Kopyta, who heard about the MScQEF programme by word of mouth, plans to continue his studies upon completion of the master and to pursue a research-orientated career in Economics.
The Faculty joins ABBL to congratulate these two bright students and wish them all the best in their studies at the University of Luxembourg, and beyond.
Pictured from left to right: Prof. Andreas Irmen, Ms. Catherine Bourin, Szymon Kopyta, Heng Yao, Dean Katalin Ligeti
To learn more about the master programme visit the MScQEF webpage.
To learn more about the ABBL and their activities, visit their website.