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Maastricht University School of Business and Economics honoured at 20th anniversary of Prix FIR-PRI

On 1 October 2025, during the 20th anniversary celebration of the FIR-PRI “Finance & Sustainable Development” Prize in Paris, Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE) received a special recognition for being one of the most awarded institutions in the history of the prize.

Hosted in the historic Salle Liard of the Sorbonne, the anniversary event brought together the international academic and professional community dedicated to responsible investment. The award acknowledges Maastricht University’s consistent contributions to research and education in sustainable finance over the past two decades.

“A tremendous honour to receive this award: it not only celebrates all our prize winners but also recognises our decades-long commitment to impactful teaching and research, sustainability and responsible leadership.” 

Prof. Dr. Marielle Heijltjes, Dean School of Business and Economics

Since the launch of the prize in 2005, SBE researchers have received awards across multiple categories, including Best PhD Thesis (2008, 2009, 2020, 2023), Best Research Article (2022), and Research Fellowship (2017). The School is proud of the outstanding achievements of its award-winning (former) faculty members and researchers: Rob Bauer (2005, 2022), Jeroen Derwall (2005), Nils Kok (2009, 2013), Piet Eichholtz (2013), Erkan Yönder (2013), Nora Pankratz (2017, 2020), Tobias Ruof (2022), Paul Smeets (2022), and Marten Laudi (2023).

As part of the celebration, Prof. Dr. Rob Bauer delivered a speech reflecting on the need to democratise finance and the role of academia in advancing the elicitation of consumer preferences and beliefs in financial products such as pensions and mutual funds. He highlighted a recent democratic innovation carried out by his research team — a deliberative forum, or mini-public — in which a sample of participants deliberated independently for three days on their pension fund’s approach to sustainable investment policy.

This recognition reaffirms SBE’s enduring commitment to impactful teaching and research, sustainability, and responsible leadership: a mission that continues to guide its work in shaping the future of finance.

Photo collage created by Prof. Dr. Marielle Heijltjes

Collage FIR-PRI_Marielle Heijltjes.jpg

About the School of Business and Economics

Maastricht University’s School of Business and Economics (SBE) is recognized as one of Europe’s leading business schools. We are dedicated to providing high-quality education and conducting impactful research with a global perspective, covering areas such as economics, international business management, public policy, governance, and sustainability. Our innovative Problem-Based Learning approach promotes practical skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and self-directed learning, preparing our students to succeed in both the European and global knowledge economies.

Author: Barbara Timmermans

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