The Dutch Association of Corporate Treasurers (DACT) is excited to announce the first edition of its contest to reward the best student dissertation (essay or thesis) on corporate finance and treasury topics. This contest aims to promote the treasury profession by encouraging academic interest and showcasing the excellence of future talents.

Eligibility and Requirements

Dissertations must be an original personal contribution and completed before submission. A jury will award the prize based on the criteria outlined below.

Thesis Topic

The thesis must relate to corporate finance or treasury. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Environmental externalities in WACC and investment projects
• Value creation by Corporate Venture Capital
• Managing electricity price volatility
• Net investments hedge for multinational companies
• Transfer Pricing models post-base erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)
• Counterparty risk in derivatives valuation
• Organizing a Group treasury

Submission Requirements

Submissions must include:
• A detailed plan
• A summary (800 to 1600 words)
• The thesis (50 to 150 pages, excluding annexes)
• Theses should preferably be in English, but Dutch is also acceptable.

Register by emailing management@dact.nl with the following:
• First name, last name
• Title and outline of the dissertation
• Academic institution and program description
• Certificate of attendance or student card for the 2023 – 2024 academic year
• Statement confirming the thesis is completed and graduated
• Deadline: September 30th, 2024. Late submissions will not be considered.

Jury

A jury consisting of DACT Board members, DACT members, and finance professionals will evaluate the dissertations.

Deliberations will be held in October 2024. Winners will be notified by the first week of November. Award recipients agree to present their dissertations at the DACT Academy on November 14th and 15th if requested.

The jury will assess theses based on structure, problem definition, clear conclusions, excellence, interest, originality, and professional impact. The jury’s decisions are final and may not be contested. No prize will be awarded if submissions do not meet the required standard. DACT reserves the right to postpone or cancel the contest without incurring any liability.

Dissertation Ownership

Authors authorize DACT and its partners to use their dissertations in publications, with proper credit to the author and education program. Submission of a thesis implies acceptance of these regulations.

Prizes

• Financial award of 2024 EUR
• Annual subscription to DACT Young Treasurers agenda
• Media attention
• Presentation at DACT Academy in November’2024
Details on prizes will also be available on the DACT website.

For more information, please visit the DACT website or contact us at management@dact.nl.

We look forward to your submissions and wish you the best of luck in the contest!