A group of 76 students from the Luxembourg School of Finance (LSF) of the University of Luxembourg celebrated the successful completion of their studies on Wednesday evening, graduating with degrees in Banking and Finance and Wealth Management.
Hosted at d’Coque Amphithéâtre, the ceremony saw 47 students graduate with a Master of Science in Banking and Finance, with 29 students receiving their Master in Wealth Management diplomas. Students from 30 different nationalities graduated on Wednesday, with over 40 per cent from non-EU countries, while 23 graduates came from Luxembourg and the Greater Region countries, and another quarter of students from other EU countries.
The international character of the study programmes is further emphasised by students of every cohort spending time abroad for an academic week-in-residence at New York University’s Stern School of Business or Singapore Management University as part of their degrees, which also include an internship with a company based in Luxembourg.
Students and their families were welcomed by the Head of the LSF, Prof. Jang Schiltz, as well as University Vice-President for Academic Affairs Prof. Romain Martin who both congratulated graduates on their achievement. Keynote speaker John Marshall, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Luxembourg, spoke to students about “Britain in 2017 – What the future holds” in light of the pending exit of the UK from the European Union.
Both cohorts had elected a class valedictorian ahead of the ceremony who spoke about the experiences they shared with their fellow graduates. Oscar Samayoa (Banking and Finance) gave a special thank you to “all of our professors who educated us with the utmost dedication and passion, exceeding all of our expectations.” He also highlighted the career guidance received, with the LSF for example organising soft-skills workshops and recruitment events for its students, which has already helped him secure a job with a company in the Luxembourg financial sector. Marko Klacar (Wealth Management) added: “Our class was a true mini-United Nations,” calling on his classmates to be ambassadors of the programme in future. Additionally, representatives of the LSF Alumni Association were at hand to present their activities and how the new graduates can use this network to keep in touch and build their careers.
The top students from each Master received special recognition for their outstanding performance. Fernando Manuel Lozano received the Bank of China Prize for Best Student in Banking and Finance, presented by Deputy General Manager Xiaolu Zhang. The Prize for Best Student in Wealth Management was awarded by Pictet, with Senior Vice President Christophe Deltomme presenting the award to Divyanjali Sisodia. Additionally, Jean Medernach, President of Investas, presented the Investas Prize for the Best Master Thesis to Alexandra Knyazeva.
The diplomas were handed out by the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance, Prof. Stefan Braum, together with Prof. Jang Schiltz, who is also the course director of the Master in Wealth Management, and Prof. Thorsten Lehnert, course director of the MSc in Banking and Finance. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception for students to celebrate their success.
