The Hochschule für Finanzwirtschaft und Management is the central educational service provider of the Savings Banks Finance Group (Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe). High-ranking academics and practitioners train the next generation of managers in accordance with the standards and value system of the Savings Banks Finance Group. Many of the more than 3,000 graduates are now specialists or managers at the Savings Banks Finance Group - including DekaBank.

It is important to us to assist in the development of these young people: Every year, Deka invites the current students to Frankfurt. Since 2015, we have also awarded prizes to the top graduates. They then spend four weeks as interns in the Deka Group – in an area of their choosing. They gain practical experience, receive exclusive insights into the company and make valuable contacts.

The IQAM Research - Privates Institut für Quantitative Kapitalmarktforschung (Private Institute for Quantitative Capital Market Research), founded by Deka, aims to improve the exchange between practice and academic research. Here, academics and practitioners in the field of capital markets conduct joint research. 

Every two years, IQAM Research grants awards for excellent research work by students and graduates in the area of capital market research. In 2020, the first prize went to Ron Bekkerman, Eliezer M. Fich and Natalya Khimicha of Drexel University, Philadelphia. The researchers use machine text analysis for business analysis. In 2022, the Research Prize will be awarded for the fourth time.
 
IQAM Research allows us to examine and evaluate current academic developments and integrate them into our business practices. This benefits the further development of DekaBank as a financial service provider and its products. Employees who publish their academic papers through IQAM Research can make contact with renowned researchers. This allows an exchange of knowledge to occur, ensures that high quality research is performed at IQAM Research and helps create a positive perception of us as an employer and provider of products.

Read more on IQAM Research here.

Support for education is fundamental for the future. That is why Deka has been supporting the Goethe University in Frankfurt since 1968:

• The non-profit association of the Goethe Finance Association (GFA) promotes research and teaching.
• It also supports the Freunde und Förderer der Goethe-Universität (VFF; Friends and Sponsors of the Goethe University). The focus here is also on research and teaching, especially in the Frankfurt financial centre.

Deka has supported the Center for Financial Studies (CfS) since 1998. The CfS is an independent research institute based in the House of Finance (HoF) at the Goethe University Frankfurt. Our support for the CfS is intended to strengthen the exchange between theory and practice.

Deka has been supporting the Planspiel Börse (Stock Market Learning Competition) of the Sparkassen since 2014. The game teaches schoolchildren, students and trainees what securities are all about – in an exciting and practical way. It deepens basic economic knowledge, imparts stock market know-how and strengthens the participants’ social skills. The game's special “sustainability” rating promotes future-oriented and responsible action. 

As the Wertpapierhaus (securities service provider) for the Savings Banks Finance Group, we want to promote the public acceptance of securities in German. Interest rates are still low, and this has a negative effect on the growth of savings accounts. A financial education is very important for understanding this and the alternatives that exist. DekaBank's support for the Planspiel Börse is intended to promote intensive learning of financial and capital market knowledge and is aimed at youth and young adults in particular.

You can find additional information on the Planspiel Börse here.

“The Planspiel Börse gave me my first contact with the stock market. I was immediately fascinated by the topic, so I wanted to take this path professionally as well. An apprenticeship at DekaBank ultimately led me to fund management. Every day you get to see what’s happening in the economy first hand – exciting and fascinating every day!”

Marco Lammert, a trained investment fund salesman, studied part-time at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. After time at CASS London Business School and Credit Suisse in London, he joined the Global Equities team in 2014 as a portfolio manager with responsibility for the Financials sector.