Testimonials
The relationship between teachers and students is less formal than I thought, and it is very helpful when it comes to arranging a meeting or discussing topics after lectures.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Economics and Commerce, Università degli studi "D'annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Bachelor’s Economics and Business Economics
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Country of previous education
- Italy
- Study start date
Biagio Conte is a Master's student Financial Economics.
'The high in-depth level of the course is definitely challenging but also stimulating. In fact, studying from recently published papers is common and it is helpful in understanding what the current relevant topics are.
The relationship between teachers and students is less formal than I thought, and it is very helpful when it comes to arranging a meeting or discussing topics after lectures. Students are usually interested and involved even though very quiet.
The theoretical level of argumentation is high but studying before every lecture helps avoiding knowledge gaps.
After graduating I would like to work in the financial industry to apply my knowledge in a more practical way.'
Be curious and dig deeper... find a topic you are passionate about.
- Nationality
- German
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Country of previous education
- Germany
Sascha Füllbrunn is an Associate Professor Economics.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Sascha Füllbrunn, and I’ve been teaching at Nijmegen School of Management since 2012 in a range of Finance and Economics courses. Over the years, I’ve supervised more than 100 theses and served as the Master’s Programme coordinator for more than nine years. These days, I teach Behavioural and Experimental Finance and Behavioural and Experimental Economics in the Bachelor’s programme, as well as the Master’s course Societal Challenges in Economics.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field?
In economics, the question is how to make informed decisions under scarcity. This question is relevant in all areas and, therefore, fundamental to solving societal challenges. Hence, any student with an economic background can work in all areas.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My research interests span (financial) markets, complexity economics, sustainable finance, and platform economics, mainly applying experimental methods. I also serve as a member of the faculty council.
What advice do you have for students making their study choice?
Be curious and dig deeper... find a topic you are passionate about. Not everything is equally interesting; however, there is always an interesting perspective to consider...
What is the best part of working with students?
When students understand, the 'heureka' moment of understanding is great, and you see it in their face.
What I really like about the Financial Economics programme is that there is also a focus on the behavioural side of finance.
- Previous education
- BSc Economie en Bedrijfseconomie - Radboud University
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Study start date
Annet Colenbrander is a Master's student Financial Economics.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
What I really like about the Financial Economics programme is that there is also a focus on the behavioural side of finance and that you do not only learn the traditional theories of economics. The courses can sometimes be quite demanding in workload and a bit technical, so that is something to pay attention to when choosing this Master's.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
The atmosphere in class is very comfortable, the specialisation is quite small-scaled. This makes it easier to connect with your fellow students. The teachers are all also very approachable and helpful if you have any questions or struggles.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
I think the most challenging part of my Master's is writing the thesis. It is a project with a lot of ups and downs and you really have to show what you have learned in your Bachelor's and Master's all at once.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
I am writing my thesis on the effect of numerosity bias on the amount invested in risky assets. With an experiment I hope to find out whether showing the number of stocks besides the monetary amount induces the numerosity bias and therefore affects people's perception.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
Understanding financial markets and learning why crashes and bubbles exist and how to prevent them is important to ensure the economy remains healthy. Once I have received my Master's degree, I hope to find a traineeship in my field of study to gain a lot work experience in the first years.
You can easily ask questions and everybody is willing to help each other.
- Previous education
- Economics and Business Economics - Radboud University
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Study start date
- Study end date
Kim Otte is a Master's student Financial Economics.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
What I like about the Master's Financial Economics, is that it becomes more concrete how to use the things you learn in the 'real world'.
There is a good balance between purely theoretical lectures and practical lectures. The big difference between the Bachelor's and the Master's is the pace in the lectures. It is therefore really important to keep up with the material/readings. Another big difference is that it is also more common in this Master's that you are learning through recently published papers, this helps in understanding what the current relevant topics are.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
The atmosphere in class is pretty relaxed. You can easily ask questions and everybody is willing to help each other. If something is not clear, you can also just ask the teacher after class and often they will help you until you understand it.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
My thesis is about the relation between time preferences and ESG preferences of investors.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
My plan after I receive my Master's degree is working in the finance department of a company, to ensure the financial health of that company.
The Master's delved deeper into financial-related topics, which challenged me to not only scratch the surface but really go into knowing the details.
- Previous education
- Economics and Business Economics - Radboud University
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Study start date
- Study end date
Amber van Roemburg is a Master's student Financial Economics.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
This Master's programme builds really well upon the Economics and Business Economics Bachelor's I followed. The specialised courses were super interesting, and I really enjoyed the small teaching groups. Working in groups also allowed me to meet and connect with many people. Even though I followed my Bachelor’s at the Radboud, I expanded my network with great people from all over! The Master's also delved deeper into financial-related topics, which challenged me to not only scratch the surface but really go into knowing the details.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
What I really like about this Master's is that the professors are very open to questions. They value your input during class and are supportive when you indicate having difficulties to catch up. The relationship between professors and students feels more informal than formal, which is really nice because it encourages reaching out when experiencing difficulties.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
Block three was the most challenging in my opinion. Within this block, you start writing your research proposal for your thesis and follow two courses at the same time. While these courses were both mathematically a bit more intense, it was really important to keep up-to-date on the assignments. However, it was manageable with discipline, so don't let it doubt yourself.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
I am currently writing my Master's thesis at the Nederlandsche Bank in Amsterdam. The internship gives me the possibility to combine acquired theoretical knowledge I obtained during my studies with practical experience. Moreover, it gives really nice insights into career prospects. Additionally, my thesis topic is highly relevant as my research relates to the changing pension system.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
I think completing this degree shows you are analytical, are able to solve difficult problems, and have a sufficient dose of perseverance. These characteristics are highly valuable to society, and ensure optimal decision making under time pressure with a lot of money at stake. After my studies I am starting a traineeship at APG, a large pension investment company, which am I highly looking forward to!
Practical questions from the pension industry directly inform my academic research agenda.
- Nationality
- Dutch
- Programme
- Financial Economics
- Country of previous education
- The Netherlands
Dr Jorgo Goossens is an Assistant Professor Financial Economics.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Jorgo T. G. Goossens. I am a tenured Assistant Professor of Finance at the Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University, where I have been teaching since 2022. I hold a PhD in Finance and Econometrics and have a strongly quantitative background in econometrics, finance, and actuarial science, which I combine with experimental and behavioural methods.
At Radboud University, I teach at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Currently, my main courses are Financial Risk Management (MSc, course coordinator) and Investment Management (BSc). In addition, I supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s theses in finance and related fields. Students typically encounter me in analytically oriented finance courses - such as investments, financial markets, and risk management - within the Economics and Business Economics programmes, where I explicitly integrate academic theory with professional practice..
Alongside my academic role, I am a Research Fellow at Netspar and an Academic Advisor at APG Asset Management, which allows me to closely connect teaching to current research, policy debates, and real-world applications in pensions, risk, and investment decision-making. I also teach regularly in executive education programmes for pension and finance professionals.
What are you currently doing your own research on?
My research focuses on preferences and decision-making under risk, time, and sustainability considerations, with a strong emphasis on pensions and long-term financial choices. A central strand of my current work is funded by a Netspar Theme Grant and examines ESG (sustainability) preferences of households and pension professionals. This research studies how sustainability preferences are formed, how they interact with risk–return trade-offs, and how they can be elicited and incorporated into pension design and investment policy.
In parallel, I conduct extensive research on risk and time preferences, including their measurement, stability over time, and ability to explain real-world financial behavior and pension choices. These projects analyse heterogeneity across individuals and the life cycle, and address the gap between experimentally elicited preferences and observed decisions, using survey experiments, behavioural experiments, and large-scale panel data.
In addition to this behavioural work, I also contribute to classical finance research, including topics in asset pricing, bonds, and risk premia, often linking standard financial models to insights from preference-based and behavioral frameworks. Overall, my research aims to connect rigorous economic theory with empirical evidence and practical applications in pensions, sustainable finance, and financial markets.
What does your work in practice bring to your academic work, and vice versa?
Alongside my academic role, I work in the industry as an Academic Advisor at APG Asset Management and as a Research Fellow at Netspar, where I collaborate closely with pension funds, asset managers, regulators, and policymakers on issues related to risk preferences, ESG preferences, and pension design.
This practical work involves advising on preference elicitation, interpreting empirical evidence for policy and investment decisions, and translating research insights into tools and guidelines used in the pension sector.
This interaction is mutually reinforcing. Practical questions from the pension industry directly inform my academic research agenda, ensuring relevance and external validity, while my academic work provides a rigorous theoretical and empirical foundation for decision-making in practice. The close link between research, policy, and industry also enriches my teaching, allowing me to bring real-world cases, data, and institutional context into the classroom.