Next year will mark the 200 year anniversary of the founding of the first savings bank in Scotland which became the model for the modern retail savings bank. Many savings banks were founded at the beginning of the 19th century and thus, they possess a distinguished past and a strong identity. Both their history and identity affect the way in which they are positioned to face current challenges as well as how they are influenced by continuously changing political, economic and social circumstances.

Although a significant amount of research has been conducted on the banking sector in general, specific research on savings banks is limited.

The European Savings Banks Group (ESBG) strongly believes that encouraging and supporting research on savings banks is critically important. This is necessary to improve awareness and increase appreciation of the characteristics of savings banks against both the background of the European retail banking sector and within the context of the multi-dimensional world of banking.

For these reasons, in 2004 the ESBG launched the ‘European Savings Banks Academic Award.’ The Award seeks to:

• encourage academic research into the savings banks industry in Europe
• stimulate thought and discussion on trends and market forces impacting the industry’s evolution and dynamics
• strengthen collaboration among European research centres and academia and
• promote and stimulate future comparative research projects on European savings banks.

General Guidelines for Submissions

The Award is geared towards any academic work which addresses either the evolution of the European savings banks systems or savings in the community in general. Specific attention to historical aspects of savings banks are particularly encouraged as are studies which prove to be useful for the day-to-day development and work of the savings banks.

Applications to the Savings Banks Academic Award must be written in a clear, understandable, and narrative style. The research work should have the potential to be published in academic/savings banks professional circles and should also be accessible to a wider audience.

Prizes

Prize money totalling € 9,000 is awarded to three outstanding submissions. The winner receives € 5,000. Submissions are evaluated based on the structure and methodology of the paper, the breadth of analysis, the relevance and originality of the research and the importance of the results for savings banks. They will be reviewed by a jury presided over by Mr. Chris De Noose, Managing Director of the ESBG.

Calendar and Focus of the 2010 edition

If you would like to compete for the 2010 edition of the European Savings Banks Academic Award, please contact your country’s national coordinators for all practical information.

The national coordinators will prepare a short list of three candidates which will be submitted to the European Savings Banks Award judging committee before the end of November 2009.

The selection will take place in March/April 2010. The winners will then be informed and invited to participate in the awards ceremony in Edinburgh on 9 June 2010.