EY Greece and the Master’s in Accounting and Finance programme of the Department of Accounting and Finance at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) have announced an expansion of their partnership, aimed at rewarding academic excellence and creating meaningful employment opportunities.
Under the partnership, EY Greece will offer up to two top-performing students each year, selected on the basis of their grades, the opportunity to join the company under either an open-ended or fixed-term contract, subject to the relevant selection process, as well as a hiring bonus.
The first recipient has successfully completed the process and joined EY Greece’s Assurance team on 1 September, according to the announcement.
By expanding the partnership, the two sides hope to connect the programme’s academic grounding with the real needs of the labour market, give high-achieving students the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience in their field of study, and strengthen the skills and knowledge of young professionals in accounting and finance.
The partnership also aims to foster dialogue and interaction between academia and the business community, broadening employment opportunities and creating added value.
The special cooperation agreement was signed by EY Greece Chief Executive George Papadimitriou and Athens University of Economics and Business Rector Professor Vassilis Vasdekis.
Commenting on the expansion of the partnership, EY Greece Chief Executive George Papadimitriou said:
“We believe that closer and more meaningful links between academia and the labour market are crucial to developing the workforce of the future — one that will meet the needs of the real economy and shape the new growth model.
This, of course, also requires suitable employment opportunities for young scientists and professionals. Through this special agreement with the Master’s in Accounting and Finance programme at Athens University of Economics and Business, we are putting our support for academic excellence into practice and giving the programme’s top graduates the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained from textbooks and lecture halls directly to projects that create value for our clients and the economy, as members of EY Greece’s teams.”
On the occasion of the first student joining the Assurance team, AUEB Rector Professor Vassilis Vasdekis said:
“The distinction achieved by our postgraduate student and the support provided by EY Greece demonstrate the high standard of Athens University of Economics and Business’s postgraduate programmes. AUEB’s programmes are designed around up-to-date knowledge and academic excellence, equipping our students with practical skills and direct links to the labour market.
Strategic partnerships with leading business organisations affirm the value of our graduates and create unique opportunities for rapid, high-quality career development. We continue to invest in innovation and international outreach, preparing the leaders of tomorrow.”