Leading experts in the field of finance and banking took part in the open class on macroeconomics. The event was organized by Igor Makarenko, Professor of the Department of Information Systems, Technologies, Finance and Management. The lecture “Money: Interest Rates, Exchange Rates” raised a number of topical issues, including the evolution of money, foreign exchange and its development, major currencies, Forex, exchange rates, the concept of finance and its connection to the IT sector. The audience was particularly interested in the emphasis on inflation, cryptocurrencies, and the concepts of broker and dealer. And Ihor Makarenko separately raised the topic of the role of money in the Christian world.

The presentation by Oleksandr Nazarenko, Head of the Swiss bank Dukascopy Bank SA, was particularly interesting. Oleksandr is a graduate of the UGI, and after graduation he worked in his specialty at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, then in other government agencies, and also as a freelancer. At the meeting, Mr. Nazarenko shared his experience in finance and banking and highlighted some key aspects of working in the modern financial world.

The rector of the institute, Lyudmila Shtanko, noted the high level of training of students in the Economic Cybernetics program at UGI. In her speech, she emphasized the successes and achievements of the students, in particular, the fact that they were ranked first among other economic specialties.

The students present took an active part in the discussion, expressing their opinions and questions on the topics discussed. They were impressed by the performance and left with positive impressions. The high level of student interest demonstrates the importance of such events for a deeper understanding of economic processes.

Daniela Bondarenko, a first-year student of the Department of Information Technology, said: “My impressions are unbeatable! I had heard about Forex before, and now it was interesting to learn more details about it. Also, some thoughts on cryptocurrencies were conveyed in very easy words. It was interesting.” Salima Luzhetska added: “This is a really interesting event. I’m grateful to the administration for organizing something like this. When new people and professionals join the pairs, learning only becomes more interesting. Interest in the topic awakens when the speaker is interesting.” Angelina Karpiuk summarized the lecture as follows: “At this lecture, we were introduced to the concept and essence of the exchange rate. I took a different look at this and other topics. This event made me say “Wow” at the end.”

Thus, the open lecture was not only an opportunity to gain new knowledge, but also a forum for exchanging views and gaining a deeper understanding of current financial issues. The presence of competent speakers and active participation of students confirm the value of such initiatives in the development of financial education.

Karina Timkova