We believe that a crucial part of the freedom of today’s community, even individuals, is to be technologically and financially creative, and a great deal about that can be learned through modern fintech projects. That’s the reason why we decided to support the creation of the Master in Computational Finance (MCF) program.
In the following paragraphs, we present to you two extraordinary minds, Djordje Dubovina and Aleksandar Damjanovic.
From Geodesy to Master in computational sciences – the educational path of Djordje Dubovina
“I have a curious nature, and I am constantly trying to understand how different things work. First, I have enrolled in Geodesy. After one year and six passed exams, I figured out that it was not my real call.
Next, I switched to the Faculty of Economics, and fun time began. I started learning about finance and banking. My main focus was financial markets, which triggered my desire to dive deep into statistics and analytics.
Naturally, I expanded my interests towards data programming. At the moment, the only source of information was the Internet, so I decided to start learning it by myself. The next step was master studies at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FOS), finalized this year.
At the moment, Master in Computational Finance (MCF) appeared to be the final touch for my background, combining my passions – finance and programming.”
Aleksandar’s super trio combined in one industry – Fintech
“As I was doing my Finance studies, I also took an interest in Programming, Cryptocurrency, and Data Science, and I was thinking about the ways I could combine my love for these fields in a way that suits me the most. FinTech came up as the best possible match for my interests.
I was looking for a way to continue studying in that direction, and MCF seemed like the best place to hone my skills and learn from the best people in their fields of work.”
What’s your occupation at the moment? What do you like to do in your free time?
“Besides the fact that I focus on analyzing data most of the time at work, I strive to learn new things whenever I can. I am constantly challenging myself with some tasks or projects that will benefit my programming skills. I am trying to create some market indicators that will help me better track cryptocurrency market movements, and I think this “recreation” will improve my skills.”
Djordje continues – “I am a kind of adventurous person, and I enjoy hiking, skiing, and running. When time allows, I love to go camping.”
“Currently, I am learning a lot about Blockchain and its uses. I spend my free time training Kickboxing and Muay Thai recreationally, playing electric guitar, reading mostly classic literature, and hanging out with my friends and family.” – says Aleksandar.
Djordje, how do you see technology improving in the future?
“The future always feels like it’s running late. I see that two technologies that will make a difference are Blockchain and ML, and they are already affecting modern industries by transforming business models, user experiences, and behaviors.
If the term “Global village” were the motto of the 2000s, then “Global street” would be the motto of 2020s, all because of Blockchain and its ability to connect people across the globe without a middleman.”
Aleksandar, what’s your perspective on the future of work, and how can this program prepare you for upcoming changes?
“Disruptive technologies like AI, Machine Learning, and Blockchain are already driving dramatic changes in the economy as a whole. Cryptocurrencies are making us question the fundamentals of finance like fiat currency and Central Banks.
MCF integrates all those technologies (among others) with finance and is the perfect program for creating future finance professionals. In the future, we can expect more disruptive technologies to emerge, improving efficiency and productivity of various processes, all that while lowering costs significantly.
Most of the repetitive work will probably be replaced by Machine Learning algorithms and AI, and innovations will open new job opportunities to replace the old repetitive ones.
In pop culture, the future is often dystopian, but in my opinion, it can be quite the opposite with the right technology and the right people.”
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After a month of doing interviews, we faced a lot of exceptional individuals among whom were Aleksandar and Djordje. Throughout the interviews, they showed willingness and motivation, as well as clear logical thinking and desire to be part of Web3. We know that individuals like them are essential in order to create Web3 ecosystem, thus we decided to give not one but two full scholarships.
Expanding the community is one of the foundations of MVP Workshop, so we feel thrilled about this and similar initiatives. Programs such as this one are a great indicator that Serbia is going in the right direction when we talk about technology.
We see our role by making this and similar opportunities more approachable, and we’ll continue to do that in the future across the region.
