Financial Literacy Across the Disciplines

Financial literacy has become a key competence. Individuals face large challenges when it comes to making financial decisions. Long-term trends like demographic change and digitalisation have farreaching implications for old-age provision, savings behaviour, interest rates, and financing conditions. Unforeseen events as the current COVID-19 pandemic add further pressure. How do individuals deal with these challenges? What do they know about finances and how does this influence their savings and consumption decisions? How can financial education support the development of financial competence? These and related questions are complex and multifaceted. They thus need to be addressed from various perspectives.

This four-day event shall provide a stimulating inter- and transdisciplinary environment for in-depth discussion on recent research on financial literacy and financial education. In this context, we are also very pleased to present the newly founded Mannheim Institute for Financial Education (MIFE). This institute is a joint venture of the University of Mannheim and ZEW, and conducts state-of-the-art research on financial literacy, financial decision-making, and financial education.

The first two days of the event are dedicated to the MIFE Inaugural Conference, which will focus on invited talks from keynote speakers and other leading scholars. There will also be slots that provide the opportunity for exchange and networking among reseachers, politicians, and practitioners.