EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling

The EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling was founded in September 1986 in Lisbon. The primary field of interest for the Working Group can be described as "financial models that help to solve problems faced by financial decision makers in the firm, intermediaries and the investment community". From this the following objectives of the Working Group are distinguished:

• providing an international forum for exchange of information and experience on financial modelling;
• encouraging research in financial modelling (new techniques, methodologies, empirical studies, software, etc.);
• stimulating and strengthening the interaction between financial economic theory and the practice of financial decision making;
• cooperating and exchanging information with other universities and financial institutions throughout Europe.

It can be stated safely that the Working Group has become an established one. To give an idea: over 450 members, 36 international meetings and an own newsletter (NEWSFLOW) are three examples of the success until now.

Meetings

The meetings of the Working Group are organized twice a year, in April/May and in October/November. Earlier meetings were held in Belgium, Curaçao, Cyprus, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Poland, Spain, Lithuania, Norway, Austria and the United States. There are now members in 34 countries spread over 4 continents. The meetings are attended by 80-100 members on average, most of them scientists but also representatives from the financial institutions, and are usually organized on Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. The organizers are expected to schedule three types of sessions: a round table session with invited speaker(s), regular sessions with the presentation of refereed papers and balloon sessions in which unrefereed papers, new topics and "loose" ideas can be discussed.

Newsletter

NEWSFLOW, the newsletter of the Working Group is published twice a year, about one month before each meeting. It contains general information about the Working Group and the next meeting(s), letters from readers, announcements of financial seminars, calls for papers, a list of working papers, etc. For information about NEWSFLOW or for publication of your contributions please contact the editor: Helene Molenaar, address below.

Membership

For information about membership of the EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling, you may write to:

Helene Molenaar, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Finance, Room H14-1, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam The Netherlands, Phone: +31.10.4081282, Fax: +31.10.4089165, e-mail: molenaar@few.eur.nl