Recognising achievement and partnership at FDEF’s 2025 Partnership Event

On 20 November 2025, the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance (FDEF) brought together its partners, students, and staff for the annual Partnership Event at the Hotel Royal.

Strengthening partnerships

The evening highlighted how partnerships strengthen the Faculty’s mission of empowering students, opening doors to professional opportunities, and enriching the partnership ecosystem of the University of Luxembourg. This annual event serves as a bridge between academia, business, and civil society, supporting talent development and long-term cooperation.

Each year, the Partnership Event brings together more than 100 participants, including the Faculty’s private and institutional partners, students, and University representatives. It celebrates collaboration and honours FDEF’s top-performing students while giving partners a clear view of the talent and innovation emerging from the Faculty. The event also demonstrates the impact of these partnerships, which provide students with mentorship, hands-on experience, and direct pathways into competitive careers.

This year, FDEF proudly introduced four new awards: the EFG Bank Award, the Chair in Investment Funds Award, the PKF Award and the DZ Privatbank Award. Today, the Faculty offers 26 academic and industry awards, along with scholarships, internships, and fellowships that help students enter the professional world and prepare for future careers. These honours recognise students’ excellence and offer meaningful support for the Faculty’s educational mission.

^{EFG Bank Award}

Prof. Marie-Hélène Jobin, Vice Rector for Partnerships and International Relations, opened the evening by thanking the Faculty’s partners and emphasising their essential role across the University community. She also congratulated the award winners for their academic achievements. Next, Prof. Katalin Ligeti, Dean of FDEF, took the stage and stressed the importance of strong collaboration between academia and industry, noting that such cooperation is key to preparing future leaders and driving innovation.

‟ Together, we are building an interconnected network, partner by partner, to strengthen our resolve, and to best prepare for tomorrow. Each of our shared actions plays a vital role: by encouraging and rewarding academic excellence to lay the groundwork for developing future leaders, by supporting research to identify and tackle issues, by working together on strategic projects that benefit not just each party, but society at large.”

Prof. Katalin LIGETI

Dean of FDEF

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^{Prof. Katalin LIGETI , Dean of the FDEF}

Celebrating together

Before presenting each award, partners offered brief remarks about their organisations and the value of their collaboration with the University and the Faculty. They highlighted how these partnerships help them connect with emerging talent and contribute to the development of Luxembourg’s financial, legal and economic landscape.

Speakers also shared messages for the students. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange reminded them that “curiosity and critical thinking should be strongly rooted in us if we want to shape the world we live in,” while KPMG noted that the winning thesis stood out for its “rigour and its relevance to the challenges faced in our industry.” The Bank of China Europe representative emphasised the importance of digital transformation, adding that “the future of our finance industry will be digital.”

Each awardee was then invited on stage to receive their prize from the corresponding sponsor. Grateful for the recognition, the laureates thanked the sponsors, professors, supervisors, families and friends who supported them throughout their studies. Many spoke about how meaningful it was to see their work acknowledged. One student observed that “behind every success recognised tonight are moments of doubt, perseverance, and the courage to keep moving,” while another described the award as “a testament to the quality of the work and the strength of the commitment behind it.”

After the ceremony, guests had the chance to meet and connect in a relaxed setting, giving students, professors, and partners a moment to engage beyond the formal programme. Professors congratulated their students, shared conversations, and took pictures to capture the moment. Students met with partners and fellow award winners to discuss their projects, plans, and career paths.

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FDEF extends its heartfelt gratitude to all partners for their continued support and congratulates this year’s award winners on their achievements.

Celebrating the 2025 FDEF student award winners

Bachelor

• Portabella Excellence & Mobility Award for the Bachelor student with the highest Grade Point Average during their mobility – David THEIS
• Portabella Academic Excellence Award for the Bachelor student with the highest Grade Point Average – Paul Maxime BOISSOT
• Prix du Barreau de Luxembourg pour le Major de Promotion du Bachelor en Droit – Tatiana FERREIRA FLORES

Master

• The PwC Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Investment Management track – Aurora AMBROSONI
• The ALFI Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Investment Management track – Leif POSSEKEL
• The ABBL Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Banking track – Guanhao LIU
• The KPMG Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Banking track – Guanhao LIU
• The Luxembourg Stock Exchange Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Digital Transformation in Finance track – Zohreh HASSANI
• The Bank of China Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Digital Transformation in Finance track – Megan Patricia CARRINGTON
• The DZ Privatbank Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Financial Economics track – Yassin ACHLOUJI
• The Investas Prize for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Financial Economics track – Yassin ACHLOUJI
• The ACA Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Risk Management track – Anahit HOVAKIMYAN
• The Advanzia Bank Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Risk Management track – Itsuki UMEMOTO
• The Chair in Sustainable Finance Award for the Best student of the Master in Finance and Economics, Sustainable Finance track – Yuming ZHONG
• The LuxFLAG Award in Memory of Sachin S. Vankalas for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Finance and Economics, Sustainable Finance track – Carola CAPORALI
• The Economist Club Luxembourg Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Quantative Economics and Finance – Paul KLEIN and Rayda Tatiana POSSI TAHABO
• The Chamber of Commerce Prize for the Best Business Plan of the Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Sơn Hải HÔ
• The HSBC Award for the Best Master Thesis of the Master in Wealth Management – Dany DOS SANTOS BATISTA and Joel LAUER
• The EFG Bank Award for the Best student of the Master in Wealth Management – Randeni Mudalige Don Ravi Dilantha RATHNASEKARA
• The PKF Award for the Best student of the Master in Accounting and Audit – Emma Fanny INVERNIZZI
• Le Prix du Barreau de Luxembourg pour le Major de Promotion du Master en Droit – Noan Lucas RENAULT
• The ATOZ Award for Academic Excellence in Tax for the Best student of the Master in European and International Tax Law – Maximilien NOEL
• The Prix Josef Azizi for the Best student of the Master en Droit et Contentieux de l’Union Européenne – Jakob PIEP
• The Prix de La Fondation Du Mérite Européen for the Best Master Thesis on the topic of European Law – Jakob PIEP
• The Chair in Investment Funds Law Award for the Best student of the Master in Investment Funds Law – Luna DIHÉ
• The Germain Dondelinger Award for the Best Master Thesis, which fulfils the criteria of a scientific and innovative approach to the thesis problem – Timmy TROES

Partnership development

The Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance actively seeks out meaningful partnerships with companies and institutions in Luxembourg. These partnerships anchor the FDEF’s research within the financial centre and business community, the start-up ecosystem, the European institutions and other sectors of Luxembourg industry and society. As well as promoting closer ties between research and practice, they offer exciting opportunities to the best of our students.

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