Sparkasse Kufstein Banking Award
Sparkasse Kufstein, in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, announces again the Banking Award. The prize is aimed at students of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein, who are writing their Bachelor's and/or Master's thesis in the field of banking & finance.
Submit here
Submission deadline:
September 30, 2024
Submission & requirements
Only those Bachelor's and Master's theses can be submitted or considered for the Banking Award which have been submitted for assessment in the last calendar year (beginning on 30 September 2023) by 30 September 2024 at the latest and have been assessed with the grade Very good or Good. The topics must be related to banking & finance in the broadest sense.
Possible topic areas:
- Recent developments in banking including marketing, client communication, human resources management, sales, or also digitalisation
- Financing of SMEs incl. the advance of modern financing instruments
- (Credit) risk management at credit institutes and companies
- Money and capital market (instruments) incl. commodities and currencies
- Management accounting for SMEs
- Family businesses (e.g. business succession, digitalisation, internationalisation, etc.)
This is not to be regarded as an exhaustive list. Of course, other topics can also be submitted that are demonstrably related to Banking & Finance (this must be justified in the submission). The jury will decide whether this condition is met.
Required documents
Please submit all documents by e-mail as PDF files. Please note that only applications with complete documents can be considered for further evaluation:
- Copy of Bachelor's or Master’s thesis
- Curriculum vitae of the applying student (please include a picture)
- Short summary of thesis (please use the following template):
Evaluation and jury:
All submitted works will be reviewed by a jury of experts consisting of four members of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol and the Sparkasse Kufstein and evaluated according to a standardised scheme. The participants will then be informed of the results.
Prize money
The prize money is divided the two categories of Bachelor's and Master’s theses.
Bachelor's theses
- 1st place: EUR 500.00
- 2nd place: EUR 400.00
- 3rd place: EUR 200.00
Master's theses
- 1st place: EUR 750.00
- 2nd place: EUR 500.00
- 3rd place: EUR 300.00
Confirmation of participation or certificate:
All participants will receive a certificate of participation. Students who finish in the top three places will also receive a certificate of participation showing the placement they have achieved.
Award ceremony:
The official presentation of the participation certificates and cash prizes to the winners will take place in November 2024. The exact date will be announced separately.
Contact information:
Please submit the required documents by e-mail as a PDF to Prof. (FH) DDr. Mario Situm by 30 September 2024.
Assessment & jury
All submissions are evaluated by an expert jury. The group of experts is selected in such a way that both the practical and scientific claims of the submissions can be thoroughly checked and assessed. The jury consists of two members of FH Kufstein Tirol and Sparkasse Kufstein respectively.
Prof. (FH) Dr. Kristina Kampfer
Fachhochschule Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences
Vice Director of Studies Business Management
Prof. (FH) Dr. Dr. Mario Situm, MBA
Fachhochschule Kufstein Tirol - University of Applied Sciences
Director of Studies Bachelor Business Management, Master Corporate Restructuring, Master Corporate Transformation Management
Dir. Klaus Felderer
Sparkasse Kufstein
Director of the Board
- Curriculum vitae
Mag. (FH) Hannes Widmann, MSc.
Sparkasse Kufstein
Head of Marketing and Human Resources Development
Further information
Dir. Mag. Reinhard Waltl
Sparkasse Kufstein
Director of the Board
Looking back
Until the end of October 2023, students of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol were able to submit their Bachelor's and Master's theses, which were graded Very Good and Good, for the 2nd Banking Award of Sparkasse Kufstein for evaluation. The expert jury, consisting of representatives of Sparkasse Kufstein and the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, evaluated the theses according to the following criteria:
- Science
Scientific quality of the work and the contribution to further development in the scientific research field - Economy
Economic relevance of the topic and elaboration of the implications for practice - Innovation
Novelty value of the results and innovation of the implementation
The award ceremony for the 2nd Banking Award took place at Sparkasse Kufstein in mid-December 2023 and the first award winners were honored in this context.
Picture: The winners of the 2nd Banking Award with the members of the jury in December 2023.
Award winners Bachelor's theses
1. place: Anna Katharina Gamper
Implementation and financing of smart mobility in a smart city
Degree program: Business Management
2. place: Simon Elias Gaschnig
Rebranding as a strategic instrument for transforming the corporate identity of Sparkasse Kufstein
Degree program: Business Management
3. place: Romana Maria Gruber
ESG criteria and their relevance for Austrian banks in relation to real estate investments
Degree program: Facility & Real Estate Management
Award winners Master's theses
1. place: Christoph Philipp Oberhuber
The digital euro: Challenges and options in the implementation of a digital central bank currency
Degree program: Corporate Transformation Management
2. place: Lukas Eder
Potential influence of green finance and ESG on the future financing capability of SMEs in German-speaking countries
Degree program: Corporate Transformation Management
3. place: Jennifer Koller
Business model innovation in the course of family succession
Degree program: Corporate Transformation Management
Until the end of October 2022, students of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol were able to submit their bachelor's and master's theses, which were rated Very Good and Good, for the 1st Banking Award of Sparkasse Kufstein for evaluation. The expert jury, consisting of representatives from Sparkasse Kufstein and Kufstein University of Applied Sciences, assessed the theses according to the following criteria:
- Science
Scientific quality of the work and the contribution to further development in the scientific research field - Economy
Economic relevance of the topic and elaboration of the implications for practice - Innovation
Novelty value of the results and innovation of the implementation
On November 21, 2022, the award ceremony for the 1st Banking Award took place at Sparkasse Kufstein and the first award winners were honored in this context.
Picture: Prof. (FH) Dr. Peter Dietrich, Prok. (FH) Hannes Widmann MSc., Prof. (FH) Dr. Kristina Kampfer, the award winners Mensah Kofi Oyoko, Sabrina Kaiser, Stephan Mair, Tanja Buchauer with board director Reinhard Waltl and course director Prof. (FH) DDr. Mario Situm.
Award winners for bachelor theses
1st place: Sabrina Kaiser
Digital central bank money – influence of the price of crypto currencies on interest in CBDC
Degree program: International Business Studies
2nd place: Christoph Oberhuber
Portfolio management and investments from the risk perspective for private investors
Degree program: Business Management
3rd place: Anna Eisenbichler
User satisfaction with sustainable buildings
Degree program: Facility & Real Estate Management
Award winners for master's theses
1st place: Buchauer, Tanja
Successful corporate succession in family-owned companies by using an interim manager
Degree program: Corporate Restructuring
2nd place: Mensah, Kofi Oyoko
Testing the impact of macroeconomic variables on the Ghana stock exchange: A Granger causality approach
Degree program: International Business Studies
3rd place: Stephan Mair
Risk appetite and risk culture in the Austrian real estate industry
Degree program: Corporate Restructuring
Impressions
