ICEF Holds Summer Bridge School in Financial Economics

The ICEF Summer Bridge School prepares students from various countries and universities for their master’s studies. It is a short-term summer programme for students of bachelor’s and master’s programmes who are planning to apply to the Master’s in Financial Economics at ICEF and similar master’s programmes at other universities in the coming year. The participants of this year’s School included students from Uzbekistan, Russia, Ghana, Azerbaijan, Italy, Armenia, Nigeria, China, Turkey, and others.

This is the second time that the ICEF Summer Bridge School has been held. The first School took place in summer 2021. The project is aimed at supporting the academic background of students who are already studying on programmes in economics and finance or are planning to apply to master’s programmes. The school also serves as an introduction for those planning to apply to the Financial Economics programme at ICEF.

The ICEF Summer Bridge School programme consists of five independent modules that can be taken individually or all together. The courses go over bachelor’s courses in more depth in order to refresh the key areas of knowledge required for applying to the master’s programme. Students can take such courses as Mathematics for Economists (with master’s graduate and ICEF lecturer Daniil Esaulov), Microeconomics (with Faculty of Economic Sciences Associate Professor Yury Avtonomov), Macroeconomics (with Faculty of Economic Sciences Senior Lecturer Andrei Dementiev), Finance (with ICEF Senior Lecturer Dmitry Kachalov).

The classes informed the students of the academic requirements of the ICEF master’s programme and those of other leading postgraduate programmes in economics and finance. The students also learned about the main theories and concepts in economics and finance, gained fundamental mathematical and econometric skills for solving economic tasks, and practised thinking and learning strategies essential for successfully completing the master’s programme in financial economics. The students also actively engaged with their lecturers, discussing a range of issues in various fields.

The Summer Bridge School’s online format made the courses more accessible to students from different locations. Among the participants were students from Uzbekistan, Russia, Ghana, Azerbaijan, Italy, Armenia, Nigeria, China, Turkey, and others. Upon completing the school and based on the results of tests, the students will receive certificates and have an advantage when their portfolio is being reviewed for the Master’s in Financial Economics.

Elena Korobova, bachelor’s student at HSE University

I applied to the Financial Economics programme and I think that this summer school is a wonderful opportunity to adapt to the academic level and requirements of ICEF. The courses enhanced my understanding of the main theories and concepts of economics and finance and expanded the foundation and range of tools used to solve economic problems. The Summer Bridge School also broadened my academic experience and prepared me for my upcoming studies at ICEF.

Darina Calogero, bachelor’s student at Bocconi University (Italy)

I study Management at Bocconi University. I am interested in finance as a field, and I saw the School as a great opportunity for me to study at HSE University and ICEF. The course allowed me to significantly improve my knowledge of economic subjects and gain a new perspective on conventional truths. I am very grateful for an opportunity that contributes so much to my professional growth. I also had a great chance to meet new students from different countries and expand my social circle. I noticed that there are a lot of young lecturers at ICEF, and they too are interested in getting a fresh perspective on the study of new, timely economic issues and exchanging opinions with students.

Taisia Pimenova, bachelor’s student at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics

I have finished the third year of my programme in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. I have a fundamental knowledge of mathematics and computer science, but my interests lie in economics, econometrics, and finance. In addition to my university courses, I study economics independently, so the ICEF Summer Bridge School will help to systematise and deepen my knowledge. It is also an opportunity to listen to professional lecturers and try my hand at being an ICEF student. I hope to apply to the Masters in Financial Economics and will prepare for that over the next year.

Ivan Vereshchagin, bachelor’s student at the Financial University

I decided on my career path when I was still at school. I was not interested in anything except mathematics—I’ve loved working with numbers, graphs, and formulae since childhood. Over time, I also became interested in economics, particularly finance (which is mathematics, but more dynamic). But my end goal is to work as a portfolio manager, which involves a number of complex steps—one of which is completing a master’s at ICEF. The reason why I chose ICEF is simple: it produces the strongest and most competitive people in the market (I realised this at the 2014 ICEF graduate summit). The ICEF Summer Bridge School gave me the knowledge I needed and set a vector for my future development. In 2024, once I finish my bachelor’s, I will apply for a master’s at ICEF.

Denis Lobanov, master’s student at the Financial University

I am thinking of applying to the Financial Economics programme, as my current programme is more related to the analysis and auditing of financial statements and I do not have enough fundamental mathematical and economic knowledge to advance in my professional and academic activities. I decided to attend the ICEF Summer Bridge School to gain a better understanding of the complexity of the courses taught at ICEF, refresh my knowledge of various aspects of micro- and macroeconomics and mathematics, and familiarise myself with terminology in English. Completing the Summer School also gives you extra points for your portfolio assessment when applying to the programme.

August 26, 2022