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The BAME_ Network, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, MRANI, and Danske Bank had a joint event on Financial Literacy tailored specifically for international students on Thursday, 26 September 2024.

This event, the first of its kind, was created to help international students get used to life in a new country, especially when it comes to handling finances and understanding new bank accounts in the UK. Bibin Jose, Ulster University Business School MBA graduate and Laurie Montgomery from Danske Bank provided valuable tips and resources to help students navigate the world of money in a foreign country, discussed budgeting basics, how to open a bank account, how to maintain a secured bank account, and offered financial resources and support.

Panellists from UUSU, VP of Equality & Belonging Daniel Sanusi, CEO of Gran Lab, Dr Pragya Sharma, CEO of Shareit Biz Grainne Bannon and Danske Bank provided insights into financial challenges they faced when they moved to Northern Ireland, how they overcame those challenges and gave solid advice to new students moving to Belfast.

The session was a great success, with a fantastic turnout, and representation from both the staff and student community. Following on from this session’s success, this collaboration of internal and external stakeholders hopes to offer more events and workshops such as this in the future, to ensure our international student and staff community get the support they need when they move to Northern Ireland.

Quote from Dr James Uhomoibhi

“I am thrilled to see the realization of this successful event today that truly addresses the needs of everyone in the university, most especially the international students for whom financial knowledge and the ability to manage situations is crucial to their subsistence and success here in the university. What attendees at this workshop have learned and heard will benefit them both now and for many years to come. The BAME+ Network believes in partnership. This we have achieved with MRANI and Danske Bank. We remain indebted to the strong support received from Ulster University, in particular, from the EDI unit, the UU Business School and the UU Students’ Union.”

Dr James Uhomoibhi

Chair of BAME+ Network

Quote from Professor Mary Hannon-Fletcher

“I was delighted to take part in the first financial literacy workshop, which was a great success, thanks to Danske Bank, UUSU, Gran Lab and shareit biz. The university is increasingly recruiting more international staff and students making us a more diverse community. With this comes a responsibility to ensure all staff and students feel welcomed here at Ulster University. The EDI team together with colleagues and faculties across the university plan to host more of this type of event to help prepare our international staff and students navigate living in Northern Ireland. Feedback collected at the event will help inform the type of events that would be most beneficial. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to send them to: equality@ulster.ac.uk”

Professor Mary Hannon-Fletcher

Dean of the EDI unit

Images from the Event