The team of students from Kozminski University, which won first place in the global final of the prestigious CFA Institute Research Challenge 2025 in Chicago, was invited to a meeting with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Andrzej Domański. The meeting had a special character – the Minister congratulated the students on their impressive success and expressed his appreciation for their work, commitment, and the role they played in promoting Polish education on the international stage.
The meeting was attended by the members of the winning team: Zofia Wojtacha, Shaheer Ansari, Oskar Witkowski, Aniket Thakkar, and Anastazja Domek, as well as their faculty advisor – Prof. Franjo Mlinarič. Prof. Krzysztof Jajuga, representing CFA Society Poland, was also present.
Minister Domański emphasized that the victory of Polish students in a competition of this caliber is a signal that finance programs offered at Polish universities represent a world-class standard, and that young people can combine excellent academic preparation with practical understanding of capital markets.
In this year’s edition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge, over 7,000 students from 1,153 universities across six continents took part. The team from Kozminski University received the highest marks for their analysis of Dom Development and their presentation before the international jury. The team was supported by their industry mentor – Jakub Ptak from Santander Bank Polska – as well as by a group of experts from the Master in Finance & Accounting program at Kozminski University, which has for years been preparing students for the challenges of the global financial market. The team’s success is not only proof of the quality of education, but also a symbolic confirmation of the effectiveness of an educational model that combines theory with practice, academia with business, and local relevance with international reach.
The meeting at the Ministry of Finance was not only a gesture of recognition from a representative of public administration – it was also a sign that the voice of young finance experts is being heard and appreciated at the highest level.
