The challenges of financial education for a new economic and social order will be addressed from 16 to 20 November by more than 40 experts at Unicaja’s 3rd Edufinet Congress, which due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 crisis will be held online. Registration is free of charge and can be made via the congress website (https://www.edufinetcongress.es/).
The 3rd Financial Education Congress, organized by the Edufinet Project, promoted by Unicaja Banco and Fundación Unicaja, is sponsored by Fundación de las Cajas de Ahorros (Funcas), and is entitled ‘Financial education for a changing society’.
In particular, this event is aimed to academics, professionals and representatives of public and private institutions, although it is open to the general public.
Speakers include representatives from the bank of Spain, the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), CECA, the European Economic and Social Committee, Asociación Española de Banca (AEB), European Banking Authority (EBA) or Instituto Español de Analistas Financieros (IEAF) and its foundation.
It will also have speakers from the universities of Malaga, Huelva, Jaén, Salamanca, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Alcalá de Henares or Carlos III, as well as from educational centres, business schools, research departments at financial institutions, banks, consultants, lawyers and other private institutions.
Some of the general goals of the Congress are to become a meeting point for the main agents involved or interested in financial education; to analyze its current situation in order to identify trends and points of interest, and to share knowledge and experience, especially in view of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Congress also seeks to identify the main challenges to improve financial literacy from a general perspective and, in particular, bearing in mind specific groups as young people, paying special attention to millennials, to the elder, investors, families, medias or professional sport professionals.
Sport professionals roundtable
In relation to the mentioned group of sport professionals, the congress has organized a roundtable discussion entitled ‘Sport professionals and financial decision-making’, moderated by José M. Domínguez, Head of the Edufinet Project and Director General of General and Technical Secretariat at Unicaja Banco. Other participants include Sergio Corral, Director General of Fundación Unicaja; Sergio Scariolo, basketball national coach; Juan Díaz, football coach and economist; Juan F. García, member of the working team of Edufinet; Manuel ‘Piti’ Hurtado, basketball coach and analyst; Verónica Matoso, player of Unicaja female tem and Alfonso Reyes, President of the Association of Professional Basketball Players.
Furthermore, the congress will address the relationship between financial education and regulation and financial supervision, environmental management, corporate social responsibility or circular economy; the impact of inflation on the decisions made by consumers; risks and advantages for consumers arising from the use of sovereign digital currency; or the footprint of the exchange of tax information and tax fraud, among other topics.
The congress will be divided into 15 sessions organized under the said topics and will include as well six roundtable discussions, with the participation of experts in each of the subjects covered.
Edufinet Project: 15 years of history
The Edufinet Project has 15 years of history. Although it was launched in 2007, its development began in 2005 within Unicaja, with the collaboration of the Andalusia International University (UNIA, Universidad Internacional de Andalucía) and of the University of Malaga (UMA). To commemorate this anniversary, on 18 November there will be an event to recognize the role of the volunteers of this initiative.
Edufinet currently collaborates with more than 16 universities and more than ten business organizations and institutions. Since it was launched, more than 152,000 people have participated in the different workshops, seminars, courses and lectures organized. The website www.edufinet.com has registered so far more than 9 million visits, with access from nearly 180 countries.
The ongoing review is one of the principles that has always guided the Edufinet Project, a criterion which has been applied during its 15 years of history in order to improve and progress. In view of the applied work methodology -included in published papers and other internal documents and used in the preparation and in the contents of the two congresses already held and also in this year’s edition-, it can be said that the congress includes substantial topics that match those indicated by the OECD, especially in the recent recommendations published by the said institution.
