AP2’s Prize in Finance and Sustainability for 2024

AP2 is one of five ‘buffer funds’ within the Swedish national pension system. The overall goal is to maximize the long-term return for pensioners in relation to the level of risk exposure accepted by the Fund. AP2 also has a directive to take ethical and environmental concerns without hampering the overall goal of high return. AP2 works actively with integrating sustainability in analysis and investment processes with the view to long-term value.The aim of this Prize is to encourage students to write their candidate or master thesis in the crossroad of finance and sustainability. The thesis shall combine models/theories within finance, asset management and business valuation (e.g. asset pricing, portfolio management, corporate finance) with sustainability in general or a specific issue (e.g. price issues with regard to external effects, climate change, corporate responsibility and corporate governance).

1. The Prize shall be awarded to the author(s) of the candidate or master thesis that in a meritorious way has written about finance and sustainability. AP2’s assessment is primarily based on topic relevance and result relevance to investors.
2. The Prize amounts to SEK 30 000 (thirty thousand). If the candidate or master thesis has been written by two or more authors, the Prize shall be equally divided between all authors.
3. The Prize can only be awarded to students at Gothenburg University with thesis rated VG (pass with distinction) or students from Chalmers University of Technology with thesis of pass with distinction quality. Only theses graded in 2023 or 2024 may be nominated.
4. Students who consider their thesis to meet the criteria for the Prize shall mail the thesis, a transcript of record (showing that the thesis is rated VG) and a signed consent form for GDPR (find it below) to Åsa Trouvé Raa at AP2 (asa.trouveraa@ap2.se) at latest June 30, 2024. If the thesis is yet to be registered within Ladok at this date, applicants may apply but shall send in the transcript as soon as possible, at latest July 8, 2024.
5. A jury with representatives from the School of Business, Economics and Law at Gothenburg University and Chalmers University of Technology is responsible for assessing the academic quality and nominate up to five theses. The nominated papers should be sent to AP2 at latest August 31, 2024.
6. AP2 will award the winner. The decision will be taken by a jury consisting of employees at the Fund. The jury shall provide a written motivation for its decision.
7. If no thesis fulfills the requirements, no Prize will be awarded.
8. The requirements for this Prize can be altered by AP2.

Consent form för GDPR