The potential of export opportunities for the next 3 years, the impact of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus on Slovak exports, linking and the role of economic diplomacy in practice, and financing of small modular reactors. These were the topics of the term papers defended this week by students of the Department of International Trade of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Economics in Bratislava in the course Business in Practice 1 – EXIMBANKA SR.
“I am extremely glad that we have managed to connect theory with practice in the field of international business and to implement it more deeply into the educational process at the university. I was fascinated by the passion with which the teams presented their projects, their teamwork and ingenuity in handling such a challenging issue, which could be compared to the topics of dissertations. However, the students coped with it, describing complex economic situations in their own language and offering new ways of solving them. Seeing their satisfied faces from the success achieved on the one hand and the recognition on the part of the Eximbank are the moments when you say to yourself that it is worth continuing on,” said Assoc. Mgr. Elena Kašt’áková, PhD., Head of the Department of International Business at the Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Bratislava.
The future economists evaluated during the thesis defence that they see the greatest potential for Slovak exports in the sectors of cyber security, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, telemedicine or defence. According to them, India, which still remembers the Czechoslovak production, has a great potential for Slovak exporters, especially in the sector of heavy engineering and defence industry. In the context of economic diplomacy, they were interested in the steps taken by Austria and the Czech Republic in this area. The students also came to the conclusion that EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus had consequences for Slovak companies and their employees. Small modular reactors may be the solution of the future because of their flexibility, lower investment costs and faster implementation, according to future economists.
“It was very interesting to see the view of the world and current problems through the eyes of the young generation. They showed us where they see the future of technology and where they think the world will move in a few years, and they also pointed out the weaknesses as a country. It is mainly the quality and lack of data, without which we will not move forward and which we still do not know how to work with and evaluate effectively. And what left the biggest impression on me? It was a huge appetite to prove something, to make a difference and an incredible hunger for information. I had a really good feeling about it and I can say after all that – it made sense,” emphasized Ing. Dušan Pukač, expert guarantor of the subject and former Director of the Insurance Department of Eximbanka.
As Ing. Milan Horváth, Deputy General Director of Eximbanka, “I tried to give the future economists a historical context to the individual topics as part of the feedback. With the wealth of information and knowledge they gained during the semester, they became partners in professional discussions, soon able to propose relevant solutions to complex topics. I therefore welcome that our mutual and intensive cooperation with academia will continue in the future.”
About the subject Business in Practice 1 – EXIMBANKA SR
During the semester, students discover the magic of foreign trade in terms of export finance and insurance, economic diplomacy and support for development projects. They learn how business works in the context of exposure to foreign markets and what companies need to know when they want to export their goods or services. They will also find out how to navigate the risk profile of different countries and the opportunities they provide to entrepreneurs and model different export cases. Eximbanka supports Slovak exporters through banking and insurance products and the provision of guarantees.
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ABOUT EXIMBANK SR
As the only direct instrument of the state for export financing, EXIMBANKA SR is an important part of the chain responsible for promoting the country’s economic policy in the field of external economic relations. It is an important instrument of state support for exports in the field of financing, provision of guarantees and insurance of credit risks. It offers a wide range of export-related financial products, in particular credit insurance, financing and guarantees. As a state export credit agency, it enables Slovak exporters to enter into trade and investment relations where the commercial financial sector is less interested in taking on risk and therefore performs a complementary function.
Martina Vráblik Solčányiová
EXIMBANKA SR
Communications and Marketing Department
Tel: +421 903 542 072
Photo source: Eximbanka (photographer: Juraj Latečka)