During the summer semester, future economists from the Faculty of Business at the University of Economics in Bratislava dealt with current challenges in the field of exports, electromobility, economic diplomacy and diversification of export markets. They presented their innovative solutions directly at Eximbanka in the course Business in Practice 1 – EXIMBANKA SR.
“I am very glad that we have managed to introduce international business to students from a practical point of view. Combining theory with real challenges allowed them to delve deeper into the issues and at the same time develop as a team and professionally. I was genuinely surprised by their presentations – not only in terms of content, but also in the way they were able to handle complex topics. The solutions presented were original, thoughtful and showed that they can think critically as well as constructively. The positive reactions from Eximbanka and the joy of the students themselves are a clear signal to me that such projects have a strong place in university education ,” said doc. Mgr. Elena Kašt’áková, PhD., Head of the Department of International Trade at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Economics in Bratislava.
The future economists evaluated that Slovakia has a great potential in the field of exports, especially in regions with high demand for renewable energy and digital technologies. They identified Western and Northern Europe, Asia, the USA, Ukraine and the Balkans as important markets for Slovak exports. They also stressed the need for more government support in the production of electric vehicles, especially compared to China, which dominates in this area. They also pointed to challenges such as the shortage of lithium for battery production. In the area of economic diplomacy, they recommended that Slovakia draw inspiration from the Netherlands, which has established itself as a global player. Last but not least, they assessed that Brazil is a suitable market for Slovak exporters due to its dynamic market and potential in defence, energy, digitalisation and manufacturing.
Michal Demák, Director of Eximbanka’s Non-Tradable Risk Insurance Department, concluded “We set the bar quite high for the students – the assignment was demanding and we expected a lot from them. We were all the more pleased with the professionalism and dedication with which they tackled it. They handled the topics in a surprisingly comprehensive, thoughtful way and with an emphasis on current challenges in practice. Their solutions were not only original, but in many cases also practically applicable. We were inspired by several of the ideas and will certainly be looking into them further. At the same time, the cooperation was not one-sided – we also learned a lot from the students. We are pleased that, like last year, this year has confirmed the sense and quality of this cooperation .”
About the subject Entrepreneurship 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 EXIMBANKA SR
As the only direct instrument of the state for export promotion, 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 offers a wide range of export-related financial products, especially 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.