• The 1st International Workshop of the

    G53 Network Rising Scholars 2026

    July 16–17, 2026 | Reggio Calabria, Italy – Regional Venue

The 1st International Workshop of the G53 Network Rising Scholars was held in Reggio Calabria (Southern Italy) on July 16–17, 2026. 

The workshop brought together early-career researchers who are conducting research related to financial literacy and personal finance. Researchers shared early-stage ideas and working papers, test feasibility, and receive structured feedback — bridging the gap between initial concepts and full academic conference presentations. The novelty is that participation is open in two formats: a working paper track and an open call for idea pitches.
 

We are grateful to the Consiglio Regionale della Calabria for their support and for highlighting the policy relevance of this topic, reflecting the region’s commitment to investing in high-quality education and research to improve financial well-being.

Participants included PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, assistant professors, and others in research roles at universities, central banks, research institutes, or similar institutions, as well as a small number of researchers in the financial industry who are actively engaged in research.
 
We also welcomed other G53 Network members who attended and provided feedback as discussants/participants. 
 
This workshop was self-funded.

Program

View the detailed 2026 Program

Day 1

Welcome Remarks

Session 1 – Chair: Panu Kalmi, University of Vaasa

Testing an investment simulation tool – Effects on knowledge, confidence, and motivation
Speaker: Caroline Knebel-Seitz, ZEW and Goethe University Frankfurt
Discussant: Livio Ferrante, University of Catania

From Knowledge to Practice: How Financial Literacy Shapes Italian Entrepreneurs’ Adoption of Alternative Finance
Speaker: Federico Malerba, Milano-Bicocca University
Discussant: Emanuele Millemaci, University of Messina

Session 2 – Chair: Alessia Sconti, University of Bergamo and Bocconi University

Bank advisor certification and WTP for sustainable finance products
Speaker: Katharina Holzheu, Ifo Institute
Discussant: Maddalena Davoli, ETH Zurich

Behavioral Trading, ESG Information, and Performance in an Experimental Asset Market
Speaker: Masoumeh Farshadfar, University of Vaasa
Discussant: Manuela Geranio, University of Bergamo

Session 3 – Chair: Leah Zimmerer, ZEW and University of Mannheim

Spousal death, financial literacy, and economic resilience
Speaker: Andrea Rebucini, University of Bergamo
Discussant: Federico Malerba, Milano-Bicocca University

Longevity Beliefs and Retirement Decisions: Evidence from an Information Experiment and Expert Forecasts
Speaker: Francesco Nicolini, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
Discussant: Piera Bello, University of Bergamo

Special session 4 – Chair: Alessia Sconti, University of Bergamo and Bocconi University
Introducing the idea and the opportunity offered by Behavioral Finance e.V.

The causal impact of children’s FinTech on financial capability in middle childhood: Evidence from a randomised rollout design
Charlotte Tasker, University of St Andrews Business School

The impact of social norms on preferences for green investing
Jaakko Mustonen, University of Vaasa

Special Address

Financial Education from Gender and Generational Perspectives
Elsa Fornero, Former Italy’s Minister of Labour and Social Policies and University of Turin

Day 2

Keynote Speech

Building a Financial Literacy Foundation
Annamaria Lusardi, SIEPR and Stanford GSB

Session 5 – Chair: Rob Alessie, University of Groningen

Fee-ling Stuck? Provider Choice in a Mandatory Defined Contribution Pension System
Speaker: Marius Cziriak, ZEW and University of Mannheim
Discussant: Abigail Hurwitz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Session 6 – Chair: Tobias Wekhof, ETH Zurich

Survival and Financial Literacy in Investment Decisions Later in Life
Speaker: Francesco Maura, Bocconi University
Discussant: Leah Zimmerer, ZEW and University of Mannheim

The Impact of Environmental Risk Information on Beliefs and Home Insurance Decisions
Speaker: Alessandro Castagnetti, University of Verona
Discussant: Tobias Wekhof, ETH Zurich

Session 7– Chair: Rebecca Maxcy, UChicago Financial Education Initiative

Financial Literacy as a Multidimensional Construct: Core and Digital Dimensions for Global Citizenship
Speaker: Vasiliki A. Tzora, Hellenic Financial Literacy Institute and University of Piraeus
Discussant: Rob Alessie, University of Groningen

Buy, Buy, Bye! The Role of Learning and Beliefs in Exiting from the Bitcoin Market
Speaker: Daniela Balutel, National Bank of Moldova and Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi
Discussant: Marco Patacca, University of Perugia

Concluding Remarks