The NBU has summed up the results of the VI Student Championship Monetary Policy: NBU University Challenge 2024. It is a competition between teams from different universities of Ukraine the NBU has been holding annually since 2019 to deepen students' practical understanding of monetary policy.
NBU University Challenge gathered more than 90 participants from 14 Ukrainian universities in 2024
During the Championship, students had an opportunity to gain experience useful for professional development, specifically they could:
- look behind the scenes of the NBU's actions and learn about the work of the Monetary Policy Committee, understand the specifics of monetary policy in wartime, and communicate with practitioners
- improve skills in modern macroeconomic analysis, analytical thinking, and economic and mathematical modeling
- improve teamwork and public speaking skills.
Each of the 18 teams prepared presentations with justified proposals for solutions regarding interest rates, official exchange rate, and currency restrictions.
The best works were presented during the Championship final, which took place online on 27 November 2024.
In the welcoming speech to participants of the Championship final, Sergiy Nikolaychuk, NBU Deputy Governor, noted that each year the competitions become sophisticated, and the rivalry — more intense. 142 teams from 45 higher education institutions have participated in the competitions over the past six years. About 40 student finalists have been offered an internship at the NBU, and some of them have become NBU employees. "I am sure that the Championship final will bring engaging presentations and new ideas that can become a valuable contribution to the development of the NBU’s monetary policy," noted Sergiy Nikolaychuk.
The jury scored the teams according to the following criteria:
- knowledge and understanding of the goal and functions of the NBU, current status of the economy, main concepts of the macroeconomics and monetary policies
- quality of the economic situation analysis
- content, logic, and accessibility of the presentation
- complete answers to questions and coherent teamwork.
The finalists of the Championship were teams from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Odesa National Economic University, and Kyiv National Economic University
The team of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv won the Championship Monetary Policy: NBU University Challenge.The team consisted of students from the Faculty of Economics: 3rd-year students Nazar Shevchuk (captain), Anatolii Ivanchuk-Shchur, and undergraduates Oleksandra Loza, and Andrii Kovalenko. Volodymyr Shevchenko, Associate Professor, PhD in Economics, was the team mentor.
A II Degree Diploma was awarded to the 3rd-year students and undergraduates of the team from the Faculty of Finance of Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman. Team members: Diana Kozachuk (captain), Vadym Kobzar, Yaroslav Smakovskyi, Yuliia Akimova, and Nazar Kruk. Team mentor: Oleh Makarov, PhD.
A team from Odessa National Economic University was awarded a III Degree Diploma.The team consisted of sophomores, 3rd-year students and undergraduates from the Finance and Banking Faculty: Yurii Havryliuk (captain), Lev Tsekhotskyi, Dmytro Malakhos, and Karina Pietkova. Liliia Zherdetska, Professor, Doctor of Economics, was the team mentor.
All 13 students who were part of the finalist teams were offered an internship at the NBU. The winners of the Championship will also receive the NBU Governor’s Cup and will have networking session with NBU specialists during a motivational meeting.
The following members were on the jury of the VI Student Championship Final Monetary Policy: NBU Challenge to Universities:
- Sergiy Nikolaychuk, Deputy Governor
- Volodymyr Lepushynskyi, Director, Monetary Policy and Economic Analysis Department
- Pervin Dadashova, Director, Financial Stability Department
- Mykhailo Rebryk, Head of Office for Monetary Policy, Monetary Policy and Economic Analysis Department
- Taras Tokarchuk, Head of Office for Economic Analysis, Monetary Policy and Economic Analysis Department
- Oleksandr Fаrynа, Head of the Research Division, Monetary Policy and Economic Analysis Department
- Andrii Danylenko, Deputy Head of Office for Systemic Risk Analysis, Financial Stability Department (all are NBU representatives)
- Olha Poharska, PrivatBank
- Mihnea Constantinescu, Central Bank of Moldova.
Traditionally, Elisabeth Curtis, PhD, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Dartmouth College (U.S.), mentor of the student team that is a multiple winner of College Fed Challenge, joined the event as an honorary independent jury member.
Winners’ presentations and a video of the final round of the VI Student Championship Monetary Policy: NBU University Challenge is available at the dedicated lending page.
The NBU intends to continue the tradition of holding the NBU University Challenge in the future.