Banking Award: Recognition for Top Theses

Until the end of October 2024, students at the FH Kufstein Tirol had the opportunity to submit their bachelor's and master's theses, which were graded “very good” or “good”, for the 3rd Banking Award. After being reviewed by a jury of experts consisting of representatives from Sparkasse Kufstein and the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, the award ceremony took place on November 28, 2024 in the Kufstein Innovation Space.

The Banking Award is a joint initiative of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol and Sparkasse Kufstein. The aim of the award is to recognize outstanding final theses by students at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol. The theses were submitted to a jury of experts for assessment, consisting of Prof. (FH) Dr. Kristina Kampfer and Prof. (FH) Dr. Dr. Mario Situm from the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, as well as Dir. Klaus Felderer and Mag. (FH) Hannes Widmann from the Sparkasse Kufstein. A total of 19 bachelor's and master's theses were examined and evaluated. The prize money was EUR 2.650,- EUR.

AWARD WINNERS OF THE BACHELOR THESES

• Claudia Leimser (1st place):
  Title: Promoting women in leadership roles in the financial sector: employer branding as a tool for overcoming stereotypes and strengthening gender equality
  Leimser examined how companies can better promote women in the financial industry and reduce stereotypes through targeted measures such as mentoring, flexible working models and role models. Her work highlights concrete approaches to advancing equality.
• Maria Gmeiner (2nd place):
  Title: The influence of the priming effect on real estate valuation: A study in the field of behavioral economics
  Gmeiner showed that positive emotional impressions can increase willingness to buy real estate. She recommends deliberately fostering positive emotions in real estate marketing.
• Celine Kirchmaier (3rd place):
  Title: Subjective assessment of stakeholders from the fields of construction, social affairs and politics on the topic of multigenerational housing in Austria
  Kirchmaier examined how young people could find cheaper housing by supporting older housemates. Her work highlights the importance of community housing models and political support for multigenerational projects.

AWARD WINNERS OF THE MASTER'S THESES

• Sabrina Kaiser (1st place):
  Title: The role of public opinion in the marketing of CBDCs: A sentiment analysis
  Kaiser conducted a sentiment analysis and showed that transparent communication of the advantages and security of CBDCs is crucial to building trust among the population and reducing fears.
• Julia Lechner (2. Platz):
  Title: The use of artificial intelligence and digitization in the financial services sector: an analysis of efficiency gains and risk minimization for credit intermediaries
  Lechner analyzed how AI and digital technologies can increase the efficiency of credit intermediaries and minimize risks. She recommends that independent credit intermediaries should increasingly rely on automation and AI-supported services.

We congratulate all the winners. The call for entries for the next Banking Award is being planned and will be published separately in the next few weeks.

Links:

• Sparkasse Kufstein
• Banking Award