Tom@ISM... Tomatism? 🍅ism!

(Photo by Dominyka Venciute.) Tom Hashimoto:  Here, we have Mr Marius Kušlys, our studies administrator who recently completed his MSc in Financial Economics at ISM. Congratulations! So, what was your thesis about? Marius Kušlys:  My thesis aimed to model Lithuanian emigration with econometrics and System Dynamics methodology. Econometrics allowed to determine the statistical relations between emigration and various economic variables. But these relations are one-sided, while emigration has complex dynamic structure. For example, usually people emigrate because of low wages, but later decreasing labour force pushes wages up. So System Dynamics methodology allows to model these complex relations. These two research methods can complement each other, because System dynamics model can explain some relations, which is not possible to model with econometrics. For example, currently, there is no statistically significant relationship between relative average wage (r...

Tom Hashimoto:  Here, we have Dr. Jonathan Boyd, Director of Industry Technology Management programme at ISM and Director of the Baltic Institute of Economics and International Relations. Recently we worked together under the Baltic Institute for a Canadian project. So, Jonathan, would you briefly tell us what was the project about? Jonathan Boyd:   Thanks Tom, always a pleasure to speak with you. The Canadian government has embraced a rather tactical approach to foreign trade, and it is particularly eager to capitalise on the opportunities afforded by the recent CETA agreement between Canada and the EU. In line with the government’s broad objective of trade diversification, the Canadian Embassy here in Vilnius commissioned the Institute to study trade opportunities in the Baltic states. Their request was precise: pinpoint specific products that Canadian exporters may find an opportune market for in the Baltic states and identify Baltic firms that will be receptive ...

On 11 April, a team from ISM (codenamed NEREUS) scored a big victory at the Microsoft AI Bootcamp held in Warsaw. 'Microsoft's Next AI Guardians Competition aims to bring together the brightest ideas to solve problems in education with the help of AI. The team from ISM designed an AI-enhanced solution called NEREUS and pitched it to the top minds in the AI field during the Bootcamp in Warsaw, Poland, organised for university students in Central and Eastern Europe. NEREUS leverages machine learning and AI to make higher education more personalised through features, such as quizzes, material recommendation, and study buddy finder. It employs K-means clustering and Natural Language Processing (NLP), thus maximising the vast possibilities AI technology can have on the future of education.' Team member Nini Gigani explains. The victory was widely communicated in the national media (e.g. 15min ) and the Lithuanian Embassy in Poland congratulated the team via Facebook : ...

(Photo by  Donatas Lazauskas. ) Tom Hashimoto:  Here, we have Ms Gabriele Andrasiuniene, 2nd  year MSc Financial Economics at ISM. Alongside her financial practice, she also competes in various sports. So, which sports are you competing? Gabriele Andrasiuniene:  Well, the phrase ‘compete in various sports’ probably describes me the most accurately. My specialisation is Mountain-bike Orienteering (MTBO), but in winter season, which is dedicated to recovery from summer, I participate in cross-country skiing, ski-orienteering, or running competitions. Previously I did much more of winter sports, but as weather conditions in Lithuania last years were not so suitable, I decided to focus only on MTBO. Summer season is coming and I can’t wait to reach my goals.  TH:  I also heard that your team competed this week. How did it go? GA:  Yes, alongside my civil sport I’m also a volunteer at National Defence Volunteer Forces. Therefore, toge...

Tom Hashimoto:  Here, we have Ms. Dalia Pranckenaite, one of our recent alumni, who is currently working as an audit manager at Moore Stephens Vilnius. Dalia received the first place in the contest 'Young Academics and their Insights on EU Investments' organized by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania for her thesis entitled 'The Effect of EU Funding on Financial Performance of Lithuanian SMEs'. Her advisor was Prof.Dr. Valdone Darskuviene (pictured above). Congratulations! So, what was the occasion for this prize? Dalia Pranckenaite:  Well, apparently the Ministry of Finance liked my work more than other contestants’! Actually, when presenting the award, they said that this year it was a tough competition as all works were strong. So, for me it was a very nice surprise since I was not exactly the 'best' student in a class. TH:  You have now graduated and started to work... Are you enjoying? Are there something you miss in your s...

Tom Hashimoto:  Here, we have Mr. Fabian Baumgartner. Fabian is currently pursuing the double-degree (MSc Financial Economics at ISM and Finance at BI Norwegian Business School), and with BI, he participated CFA (chartered financial analyst) Research Challenge this year. His team made it to the global final! Congratulations! So, Fabian, how do you describe your experience in the competition (especially, when you reached the global final)? Fabian Baumgartner:  Thank you. It was an intensive, emotional, memorable and stressful but in the end very satisfying experience. I regret nothing. Being a student is not always very rewarding, the whole feedback you get is at the end of a semester, when a few small numbers are published that tell you how you did in the last 6 months. The CFA research challenge is an opportunity for students to shine, and with a bit of luck as well as hard work of course, it brings you the reward most students really deserve. CFA Institute and other s...