On December 14-15, Vilnius University Faculty of Economics and Business Administration hosted the International Scientific Conference "World Finance and Banking Symposium". More than 100 international scholars, national bank researchers, and academics from prestigious universities from 35 countries gathered in the festively decorated city of Vilnius during these days.
The conference covered a wide range of highly topical issues, including financial technology, sustainable finance, corporate financial reporting and ethics, banking, monetary and financial stability policies, etc. However, the conference particularly highlighted the significant work done in the Fintech sector, emphasizing Lithuania's strong leadership in this domain today and the ample room for growth that still exists on this path.
"The Fintech startup ecosystem in Lithuania is the fastest growing in Europe today," says Dr. Alfreda Šapkauskienė, Head of the Department of Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, and Head of the Conference Organizing Committee. "For example, after Brexit, the British company Revolut left the United Kingdom and settled in Lithuania. Lithuania is the first European country to issue digital banking licenses and the largest FinTech center in the EU in terms of the number of licensed companies," the expert said.
Dr. Alfreda Šapkauskiene,
Head of the Department of Finance,
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, VU
According to I. Zimaitis, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, all the conditions for the Fintech sector to flourish are in place, including a well-prepared legal framework, a large number of Fintech companies already operating in the country (according to the Bank of Lithuania, at the end of 2022, there were 263 Fintech companies in Lithuania), and a strong circle of professionals and experts in this area. Another crucial factor determining the success of this sector in the country is that Lithuanian consumers are ready to embrace these technologies and are happy to use them. "The size of the Lithuanian market makes it like a sandbox, where we have the conditions to build the most impressive Fintech castles and entire cities," the researcher jokes.
Dr. Ignas Zimaitis,
Vice-Dean of Research, VU FEBA
Andrius Bičeika, Deputy CEO and Member of the Board of Revolut, also echoed the scientists of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, sharing his personal experience of how the decision to establish a Revolut bank headquarters in Lithuania was made, how bold the start was, and how much support there was from the authorities. "The idea is one thing, but the most important element is its execution," said Bičeika, both thanking and praising all those who have contributed to the Financial Technology breakthrough in Lithuania.
Dr. Ignas Zimaitis was also delighted that as many as 6 Lithuanian scientists were invited to participate in such a high-level international event, where only the highest quality research publications and presentations are selected. "We can see the benefits of the growing partnership between science, government, and business. Today, experts from Korea, China, and the UK are coming and inviting us for future joint projects and want to work together with our scientists and businesses. This is an important recognition. I am glad that at this conference we, as a faculty, as a university, as a city, and as a country, have shown the best we have to offer to researchers and the Fintech community," said Vice-Dean I. Zimaitis.
"World Finance and Banking Symposium" was the second global scientific conference organized by the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in 2023, attracting researchers and business representatives from all over the world to Lithuania and demonstrating the international recognition of the faculty and its researchers.
