ASU News

The results of the inaugural student paper competition on children's financial security, titled "Financial Pedagogy," were announced at the Faculty of Economics at Adyghe  State University.

The competition was organized by the Institute for Quality of Life, a nonprofit organization, as part of the "Design and Reengineering of Business Processes in the Regional Economy Based on Data Management" project under the Priority 2030 program. Its primary goal is to promote financial education and awareness among students in educational institutions. The choice of Children's Day for announcing the results was deliberate, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from financial threats—each project and participant contributing to this vital cause.

Participants included undergraduate and graduate students from four clusters: Adyghe State University, Moscow State University of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Khusen Andrukhaev Adyghe Pedagogical College, and Krasnodar Pedagogical College.

"The interdisciplinary nature of the projects was the overarching theme of the competition... The influence of this is evident in the works, which yielded innovative and unexpected solutions. I was truly delighted!" remarked Ruslan Tkhagapso, chairman of the organizing committee and director of the NOC "Institute for Quality of Life."

The educational tools developed by participants—including comics, posters, puppet shows, computer games, lesson plans, handouts, and other resources—will enrich the toolkit of volunteers working to enhance financial literacy among children and adolescents.

"You'll gain valuable skills in managing finances, creating personal financial plans, and protecting yourself from financial fraud. By participating in this competition, you're making a crucial investment in your future career. Not only will you acquire new knowledge, but you'll also learn how to effectively communicate it to others, making you a more confident and competent professional." noted  Elena Aspidova, Lead Economist at the National Bank of the Republic of Adygea (a branch of the Bank of Russia).

Some participants have experienced the significance of such projects firsthand. For instance, Kristina Grishina’s family personally faced the challenge of financial fraud.“I realized how important it is to talk to children and teenagers about protecting themselves and understanding how scammers operate. I am grateful to all the organizers of this competition. It was incredibly engaging, filled with valuable insights, useful activities, and skills I’ve gained,” the participant shared. 

The competition was organized into four categories, with winners selected in each. In the "Financial Literacy in Drawings" category, the winning entry was the comic strip "Two Wallets," created by Marina Brikova, Svetlana Burlaeva, Marina Buryanova, Oksana Koltsina, Angelina Molchanova, Milana Nagorokova, and Alisa Prishchepa—both graduate and undergraduate students from the Institute of Humanitarian Knowledge and Culture. The project was led by Bella Khamukova, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences and an Associate Professor.

The winner in the "Digital Hygiene for Children" category was the computer game "Ark," developed by students from the Institute of Exact Sciences and Digital Technologies (NIK "Institute of Exact Sciences and Digital Technologies"): Daria Nebogatikova, Denis Shulik, and Alexander Golovachev. The project was overseen by Associate Professor Zarema Kurmalieva, PhD in Economics.

In the "Educational Project" category, the winning script for a puppet theater performance was submitted by students of the Institute for Quality of Life (IQOL): Alina Trofimova, Victoria Bobyleva, Ekaterina Kobzareva, Angelina Popova, and Daria Ilyina. The project was led by Bella Khamukova, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences and an Associate Professor.

The winner of the "Social Advertising and Media" category was the video titled "Social Engineering in Online Games: How Teenagers Are Lured into Fraud," created by students Laman Aliyeva and Vladislava Kononenko from the Institute for Quality of Life. The project was supervised by Associate Professor Angela Bakhova, PhD in Economics.

The winning projects, along with their respective leaders, received diplomas, awards, and commemorative gifts from the competition organizers and partners.