The agreement falls within the Funcas Programme to Promote Financial Education (‘Programa Funcas de Estímulo de la Educación Financiera’), through which both institutions intend to collaborate to improve the citizens’ financial literacy via the consolidation of existing projects and the development of new ones, such as an International Congress, the X Conferences on Financial Education for Young People, the edition of several publications, or the adaptation to digital format of an introductory course on financial education.
The ‘Funcas Programme to Promote Financial Education’, launched this year by Funcas and CECA, has a budget of three million euros, and it aims at funding the activities to disseminate financial knowledge carried out by the participating financial institutions.
The Chairman of Unicaja Banco, Manuel Azuaga, and the General Director of the Foundation of Savings Banks (Fundación de las Cajas de Ahorros, Funcas), Carlos Ocaña, have signed an agreement through which the financial institution joins the Funcas Programme to Promote Financial Education (‘Programa Funcas de Estímulo de la Educación Financiera’). With the agreement, both institutions intend to collaborate to improve the citizens’ financial literacy via the consolidation of existing projects and the development of new ones.
The ‘Funcas Programme to Promote Financial Education’, with a total budget of three million euros and launched this year by Funcas and CECA (the association of savings banks and banks created by the former), contributes to fund the activities on this matter developed by the participating financial institutions, which include Unicaja Banco.
In particular, within the framework of this agreement, Unicaja Banco will promote financial training projects aimed at citizens in general, to generate knowledge that can be used to manage the economic resources and make the most suitable decisions at any time. The initiatives include an International Congress on Financial Education, the X Conferences on Financial Education for Young People, the fifth edition of the ‘Financial Guide’ and the second of the comic on finances, as well as the adaptation to digital format of an introductory course on financial education.
Unicaja Banco’s Chairman, Manuel Azuaga, has remarked ‘the importance of promoting the financial literacy in Spain and of making citizens aware of the need to achieve a certain level of knowledge to face the financial challenges and decisions in the different stages of their life’. The institution that he leads has been committed to this task, financial education, for over a decade.
On his part, Funcas’ General Director, Carlos Ocaña, has explained that ‘the dissemination of financial knowledge is one of Funcas’ main pillars’. ‘The goal of these programmes is to provide tools, to communicate key concepts, or to modify attitudes for citizens to make better decisions and to be more protected’, he added.
Edufinet, the consolidated trajectory of a pioneering project
Unicaja’s commitment to the promotion of financial literacy is reflected in over ten years fostering the Edufinet Project, currently promoted by Unicaja Banco and Fundación Unicaja and with the collaboration of 14 universities (one of them from abroad) and more than ten business institutions and organizations, as well as a working team of more than 80 members, who participate as volunteers in this task.
Through an Internet portal aimed at the general public, Edufinet has been operative since the end of 2007, although its development began in 2005. This way, Unicaja became one of the first financial institutions in Spain to launch an initiative of this type. This work has been recognized with several awards.
During this decade of the Edufinet Project, it has brought the world of finance closer to more than 127,600 people, of which more than 89,000 have participated through the Conferences on Financial Education for Young People, aimed at Secondary Education and Baccalaureate students. This initiative has developed during the school year 2017-2018 its ninth edition, and it is linked to the Financial Olympics, a school competition which is to celebrate its eighth edition.
The school year 2017-2018 has also seen the launch of the I Conference on Financial Education for Vocational Training and the I Conference for Adults, which have allowed the Edufinet Project to expand to the general public its role of disseminating the financial world.
Furthermore, Edufinet promotes the development of workshops and lectures at universities, summer courses or participation in international projects, to provide citizens with access to financial culture. It also promotes several publications, such as the ‘Financial Guide’ and the ‘Financial Guide for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs’.
As for the website www.edufinet.com, which offers systematic and practical information in a question-answer format and where no previous knowledge is required, it has received over 7 million visits, with consultations and access from almost 180 countries.
The Edufinet Project offers also other two specific portals: one for business owners and entrepreneurs (Edufiemp) and another one on financial education for young people (Edufinext).
