Vira Vartsaba: "If you want to become wealthy and successful choose the profession of a financier"

The Faculty of Economics is one of the oldest and most popular faculties of Uzhhorod National University. For more than 50 years the structural unit has been satisfying the needs for specialists in economic theory and practice of the Transcarpathian region, Ukraine, and sometimes foreign countries. Over 90% of employees of regional financial and economic departments, banks and financial institutions, tax and customs authorities with higher education were students of the Economics Faculty of UzhNU.

 

The Department of Finance and Banking is the largest one at the faculty. Currently, around 400 students are educated to get their degrees in the specialities "Finance and Credit" and "Banking". Training is provided by highly qualified faculty staff including three doctors, professors and 14 candidates, associate professors most of whom were graduates of the department. Therefore, the importance and popularity of the profession of a financier and a banker will be discussed with Vira Vartsaba, the Head of the Department of Finance and Banking.

Tell us about the peculiarity of the profession of a financier?

Financier’s work is the management of financial flows, and the task is to make successful and profitable investments, find optimal ratio of income and potential risks, i.e. operate according to the principle - money should make money.

Financier (translated from French) is a person experienced in dealing with finances, i.e. cash facilities. Money is a form of power, strength. So financial education is your future, because if you master its fundamentals you will be able to create financial well-being at the level of the state, company, organization or institution, will be able to apply your knowledge in Ukraine and abroad, because you will have knowledge and skills in the field of international finance. The rate of this profession has remained steadily high for many years. In case of Ukraine's joining the European Union professional financiers will be among the most popular professionals.

In addition, only in 5 years you can get a diploma not only of a Ukrainian standard but also of a European one while studying at the Faculty of Economics of UzhNU. Owing to the agreements with foreign universities, you can simultaneously study in two institutions and get a double diploma as a result.

 What skills are needed for this profession?

- School leavers who are fond of exact sciences, follow economic and business news with interest, want to become wealthy and successful are offered to study the area of finances. Those who choose this profession should know that it requires strategic thinking, ability to command finance efficiently and protect savings from inflation, be active in financial markets, correctly calculate tax charges, etc.

What is the difference between a financier and an economist or an accountant?

- Professions of economist, accountant and financier are related to some extent, although dealing with three separate kinds of activities. Accountant’s duties are collecting and processing data, financial reporting; economist’s duties are making the economic analysis of company’s activity and development of measures to improve its efficiency; a good financier must know everything – be able to read and analyze financial reports, develop business plans, have skills of strategic planning and forecasting, know advertising and sales technologies, since his of her task is to plan the budget properly and make the most of financial resources to augment the capital. We teach our students to do it all.

Are the specialists trained by the Department of Finance and Banking needed at the labour market nowadays?

- According to the employment centers data and experts, the labour market is oversaturated with specialists of economic direction, but educated, responsible professionals who can competently and profitably manage finances are needed everywhere. I think that any person can fulfil themselves in any profession if they have a desire to constantly improve, set goals and achieve them. Many of our graduates become heads of bank branches, insurance companies, credit unions or financial departments of different enterprises in 3-5 years after graduation. 58% of our last year’s graduates (full-time form of study) are employed by profession.

What are the major benefits of training financiers at UzhNU compared to other universities of Transcarpathia graduating such specialists?

- In the opinion of most employers, financiers and bankers graduating from our faculty have the best professional skills in the region. It is important to teach students how to combine theoretical knowledge and practical skills, which is achieved in collaboration with the leading financial and credit institutions of the region where students can undergo practical training and internships. Students of the Department of Finance and Banking of UzhNU can practice on the basis of the educational and training center established with the assistance of Public JSC "PrivatBank". The department has established cooperation with insurance companies PJSC "UNIQA", Insurance Group "TAS", Insurance Company "Providna", Insurance Company "Garantiya", branches of PJSC CB "Raiffeisen Bank Aval", "Kredobank", "Ukrgasbank" and Finance Department of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration.

Can students be employed while studying?

- Many young people are already employed after their first practical training. The University provides students with the opportunity to undertake an individual schedule of study in case they fulfill the curriculum requirements. The advantage of our graduates is that they have good employment opportunities.

Where do graduates of the Department of Finance and Banking work?

- They work in all areas of financial and economic activity: from public authorities to financial departments of private companies; from budgetary institutions to insurance companies and commercial banks; from state fiscal and customs services to their own businesses.

Graduates of the Department of Finance and Banking may work in such positions as the head of the company, institution or organization, financial manager, financial analyst, company director, economic adviser (consultant), inspector, agent, expert, estate agent, specialist in the securities market, bank manager, teacher, researcher, etc.

Government agencies of territorial and municipal levels, financial departments of regional and district state administrations, State Fiscal Service, State financial inspection, State Customs Service, insurance companies, the National Bank of Ukraine, commercial banks, expert agencies, real estate agencies, credit unions, investment funds, consultancies, etc. can be places of professional activity of our graduates.

Who of the famous Transcarpathians studied at your department?

- It is difficult to list all of them. Among the graduates of the Department of Finance and Banking currently holding senior positions are the head of the Transcarpathian Regional Council Volodymyr Chubirko, the head of the State Tax Inspectorate of Uzhhorod Maria Badyda, the head of the Pension Fund of Ukraine in the Transcarpathian region Anastasia Pentek, the director of the Regional Department of JSC "PrivatBank" Lesya Orban, the director of the Uzhhorod branch of "Kredobank" Andriy Kolyasko and many others.

The Department of Finance and Banking organizes many events. Tell us about the ones that took place this academic year.

- Our department really organized many scientific and educational meetings to improve students' knowledge and promote future employment of our graduates. For example, during the week of financial literacy organized by the Department of Finance and Banking of UzhNU students of the Faculty of Economics attended regional branches of leading banks. We have a good tradition to organize conferences, intellectual games, meetings with prospective employers, etc.

Admission campaign is approaching. What requirements should applicants meet to enter the Faculty of Economics of UzhNU?

- To become a student of the Economics Faculty an applicant should submit all required documents to the admission committee of the SHEI "UzhNU" from July 10 until August 1, subject to successful completion of External Independent Evaluation – 2015. The list of subjects an applicant should pass includes Ukrainian language and literature (basic level), mathematics (basic level) and geography.

The term of study: Bachelor's Degree - 4 years, Specialist’s Degree – 5 years and Master’s Degree - 5 and a half years of full-time study. Respectively it takes one year longer for part-time students. More details of admission rules can be found on the official website of UzhNU and on the phone: 64-30-84, 050-664-79-04, 096-123-89-67.

Specialities "Finances and Credit" and "Banking" offer good opportunities in your professional and career growth, so we invite you to study at out department!

 

 

 

 

 

• Faculty of Economics