The Final Project Meeting in Paris 24-25 October 2024
The lead partner IPAG Business School Paris recently hosted the final meeting of the TRUST Finance project aiming to develop an innovative interdisciplinary course on sustainable finance. This initiative brought together four universities from across Europe, fostering collaboration to address the growing interest and demand for sustainability-focused education in finance with an interdisciplinary approach.During the meeting, partners reviewed the progress of the project and discussed the next steps.
The importance of integrating sustainable finance into Master’s programs across disciplines was considered. As the global economy increasingly prioritises sustainability, courses such as TRUST Finance one are essential for growing future leaders and equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate and address complex challenges. The TRUST Finance initiative aims to empower students from diverse academic backgrounds to drive meaningful change in the companies and industries in which they work.
After the end of the project, the partners plan to continue their collaboration by working on academic publications that will share the project’s insights and findings with the academic community. These publications will further contribute to the advancement of innovative teaching and research in sustainable finance.
Industry Challenges in Sustainability and Finance – October 2024
As part of the dissemination activities, LUT organised two workshops for students from LUT and South-Eastern University of Applied Sciences XAMK. These events were hold on 15.10.2024 (LUT) and 31.10.2024 (XAMK) and aimed to discuss the industry challenges and offer and develop solutions to the existing problems. Students were encouraged to think about and reflect on the importance of Sustainable Finance, elaborate on the potential challenges and opportunities in European companies. Additionally, these workshops aimed to promote the TRUST Finance course among students, as LUT included the interdisciplinary course on sustainable finance in the curriculum for the fall semester.
Current Topics in Sustainable Finance – 20 and 27 September 2024
In September, Cologne Business School (CBS) successfully organised two impactful multiplier events as part of the TRUST Finance project. These events aimed to disseminate the project’s outcomes while fostering dialogue on sustainability in finance through expert-led guest lectures.
The events began with a detailed presentation of the TRUST Finance course its content and teaching methods, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the project’s objectives and the educational opportunities it offers. Following the course presentation, esteemed external experts delivered engaging lectures on pressing topics in sustainable finance, including:
Against All Odds: Why Sustainable Finance Is Important in Times of Multiple Crises
European Regulation on Sustainable Finance – Practical Implications and Current Challenges
The Impact of ESG on Cost of Debt: A Systematic Literature Review
Integration, Transformation, Impact – What Really Matters in Sustainable Investment
The events provided an opportunity for academics and industry professional to deepen their understanding of sustainability in finance and exchange their ideas. These discussions highlighted the relevance of the TRUST Finance course and project in addressing contemporary challenges and growing the future leaders with understanding of the perspectives of sustainable finance.
We thank all speakers and participants for contributing to the success of these events. Together, we continue to advance the mission of promoting sustainability through education and collaboration.
International Meeting in Cologne 27-28 March 2024
The project consortium recently had a meeting in Germany to review and advance the pilot of the master course. Key discussions focused on evaluation of the progress of Part 1 and Part 2 of the course, distribution of further tasks (e.g. evaluation of the Part 2 assignments, launch of the ESG Challenge etc.). The teachers did the final check before the launch of Part 3.
In frames of this event, the project team had a meeting with HUBRO Simulations. This allowed to made the final agreements regarding the simulation game. Partners aligned on its launch, finalized the division of responsibilities, and agreed on updates to enhance the game’s realism and appeal to students. These improvements aimed to provide a more engaging and practical learning experience. The meeting also addressed various organizational matters to ensure the further smooth collaboration while delivering an innovative interdisciplinary course on sustainable finance.
We would like to thank our German partner for their excellent organisation and warm hospitality during the last couple of project meetings.
Project meeting in Cologne 7-8 September 2023
The meeting was hosted by our German partner – Cologne Business School and brought together partner organisations for a productive and collaborative discussions. With the pilot of the TRUST Finance course starting in October 2023, the focus of the meeting was to ensure the readiness of the interdisciplinary course on sustainable finance for launch for students from the partner universities. The partners undertook a final comprehensive review of the course structure and planned the course schedule, taking into account universities’ schedules and ensuring that all modules meet the standards of quality and relevance.
This meeting marked a pivotal moment as the consortium started moving from development to implementation. The collective effort and expertise of all partners have brought us to the cusp of the course launch, demonstrating the true spirit of international collaboration. The energy and commitment of all attendees have set the stage for a successful launch. The meeting was highly productive. Discussions covered not only organisational matters, finalising the course content and schedule, and reviewing the project timeline, but defined the future steps and key milestones to ensure smooth progress. Additionally, aiming to enrich our students’ experience, the project team started collaboration with HUBRO simulations. A simulation game will be integrated into the course, providing students a unique opportunity to apply their knowledge.
Meeting in Kouvola 15-17 May 2023
Before the first pilot of the course, project partners checked the course structure and topics, discussed materials and developed assignments, and agreed on the course schedule and the main actions to be completed before the next team meeting.
International Project Meeting in Dublin 20-21 February 2023
2nd Transnational Partners Meeting – Dublin, Ireland
On the 20th & 21st of February 2023, the second Transnational Partner Meeting took place in Dublin, with TU Dublin as a host. Partners from all co-operating countries
participated in this meeting (CBS and KU virtually).
Project management, course development, dissemination activities were discussed, with presentations regarding their tasks given from each partner in charge.
Kick-off Meeting 17-18 March 2022
The kick-off meeting united partners from France, Finland, Germany, Ireland and Poland in Paris. Project details and implementation plan for the upcoming year were defined.