oikos / PRI Young Scholars Finance Academy

Unique academic opportunity for PhD Candidates taking place in the Swiss Alps
	In 2008, the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative joined forces with the Swiss-based oikos Foundation to conduct the annual oikos PRI Young Scholars Finance Academy, which aims to stimulate high-quality academic research on responsible investment among PhD students. The Academy provides a platform for the next generation of responsible investment researchers to receive feedback on their research from a faculty of leading academics and practitioners and to network with fellow students who are also working on these emerging issues. Every year in February, the academy gathers exceptional graduate students and young faculty for a week-long event around responsible investment themes.
More information on past year’s call for papers here:
The Academy is located in a remote hotel in scenic rural region of the Swiss Alps. The week long programme is built up around morning working sessions in the conference room while leaving the afternoons free for extracurricular activities such an excursion to St.Gallen (UNESCO World Heritage town), guided tour of the St. Gallen Abbey Library and hiking to Appenzell town.
For more info see the 2010 programme.
2010 PRI oikos scholars and faculty:

Former oikos PRI faculty members: Dr. Rob Bauer, Professor of Finance, Maastricht University, The Netherlands Dr. Gordon Clark, Director, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, UK Dr. Danyelle Guyatt, Principal, Responsible Investment Team, Mercer, UK Dr. Lars G. Hassel, Professor of Accounting and Auditing, Umeå School of Business, Sweden Dr. James P. Hawley, Co-Director, Elfenworks Center for the Study of Fiduciary Capitalism, Saint Mary's College of California, USA Dr. Tessa Hebb, Director, Carleton Centre for Community Innovation. Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Nils Kok, Ass. Professor, Maastricht University, The Netherlands Dr. Céline Louche, Ass. Professor, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, Belgium Steven D. Lydenberg, Chief Investment Officer, Domini Social Investments Dr. Steve Waygood, Head of Sustainability Research and Engagement, Aviva Investors
Practitioner day at Sustainability Asset Management (SAM) in Zurich
On the final day, the Academy offers a platform for direct exchange between investment professionals and students and academics of the Academy. The theme of the 2010 practitioner colloquium was to discuss avenues for interaction between practitioners and academia and what the expectations of the industry from academia.

Future RI Career opportunities:
	During the practitioner day the PhD students also discuss RI career opportunities with industry representatives. In this photo, Head of Sustainability Research and Engagement at Aviva Investors, Steve Waygood, gives his perspective on the different kinds of SRI jobs that are emerging in the industry, and what skill sets they require.