Since the Bachelor’s degree programme was introduced, students have been able to spend six to eight weeks abroad at another European central bank or supervisory authority during their final practical studies period. In the past, around two-thirds of students have taken advantage of this opportunity.

© Andreas Igl

The Holy See conducts its financial business through its own financial institution, the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (Italian: Institute for the Works of Religion, a.k.a. the IOR) – and because the Vatican has a financial institution, it also has a financial supervisory authority. Its tasks include the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. In recent years, some of our students have chosen to do their practical study abroad there. From 24 to 26 April 2023, a senior delegation from ASIF (Autorità di Supervisione e Informazione Finanziaria), the financial supervisory authority of Vatican City, visited the university for an exchange of knowledge and experience. This focused on questions relating to financial sanctions and the prevention of money laundering. 
 

Dr Federico Antellini Russo, Deputy Director of ASIF, and Veronica Di Marco, responsible for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, were informed about the university’s curriculum in those areas by professors Andreas Igl and Markus Rose. Rector Erich Keller gave the guests an overview of the contents of the course and current hot topics in financial supervision. In addition, Antellini Russo offered students an evening lecture on the Vatican’s legal and financial system and its financial supervisory authority. This was followed by a lively debate on the current and future challenges facing European financial supervisory authorities. Antellini Russo and Di Marco confirmed that students at the university would continue to be welcome to carry out their practical studies abroad in Vatican City in the future.