In partnership with the Financial Supervisory Authority, the Institute of Financial Studies implemented the national financial education program Start2Learn: Personal Finance from October 3 to November 21, aimed at 11th-grade high school students in the 2022-2023 academic year, specializing in technological or technical profiles. The project was designed to introduce students to basic financial concepts to help them start planning their financial goals and lay the foundation for a healthy financial life. Through participation in this program, students gained knowledge about: creating and monitoring a budget of income and expenses to identify efficient ways to use financial resources, setting realistic financial goals to better plan short-, medium-, and long-term financial resources, and assessing their current financial situation while identifying saving methods to achieve specific goals.
The pilot project was launched in 7 high schools, 4 in Bucharest: “Elena Cuza” National College, “Cantemir Vodă” National College, “Matei Basarab” National College, and “Gheorghe Airinei” Technical College for Post and Telecommunications, and 3 in Craiova: “Carol I” National College, Energetic High School, and “Tudor Vladimirescu” National Military College, with a total of 197 participating students. The pilot project consisted of 42 classroom sessions delivered by 14 trainers, experts in the non-banking financial sector, members of UNSAR or AAF, joined by academic staff from the Faculty of Finance, Insurance, Banking, and Stock Exchanges at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest.
Upon completion of the classroom modules, students had the opportunity to participate in the Start2Learn program competition, which involved analyzing and solving a case study on creating a three-month income and expense budget. The best solutions to the case study will be awarded. Based on feedback received from students, coordinating teachers, and specialists, the project will be prepared for 2023.
