NEWS DIGEST
FINANCIAL LITERACY TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT UPCOMING CONFERENCE
SCHOOL : Mannheim Business School, Germany
Financial literacy is to be the focus of an upcoming conference and early-career researchers’ workshop organised by the Mannheim Institute for Financial Education (MIFE), a collaborative initiative between the University of Mannheim and the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW). Entitled The Role of Financial Education for Inclusion and Participation , the conference seeks to provide a platform for researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss new findings and challenges. Taking place in November, it can be attended in person at ZEW in Mannheim or online, free of charge. Held in the days after the conference, the MIFE Early-Career Workshop, meanwhile, is a chance for emerging scholars to present papers in the field and have them considered for up to two prizes of €2,500 each. MIFE is co-directed by Mannheim Business School professor Carmela Aprea and runs a large-scale, interdisciplinary research initiative designed to support evidence-based educational strategies and strengthen the foundations of financial education in Germany. Known as the Meta-Project on Financial Education (MetaFin), the initiative has received €2.3 million in government funding. “When we look at areas such as retirement planning or taking out loans, where more nuanced financial knowledge is required, people don’t perform well,” Aprea said in a recent interview with the ARD financial editorial team. Earlier this year, MIFE launched a journal for application-oriented research and knowledge sharing. The first issue of Forum für finanzielle und ökonomische Bildung ( Forum for Financial and Economic Education ) carries an interview with education minister Karin Prien on the importance of financial literacy. TBD
STUDY SUGGESTS WELLBEING SLOWS SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS
SCHOOL : Institut Mines-Télécom Business School, France
Today, anyone can publish theories about the news online while social media platforms allow inaccurate or misleading ideas to spread quickly, sometimes with dangerous consequences. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, a myth that consuming highly concentrated alcohol could kill the virus led to the deaths of approximately 800 people worldwide. In a paper entitled How Can Governments Prevent the Spread of Fake News? published in the European Journal of Information Systems , Anuragini Shirish, professor of information systems at Institut Mines-Télécom Business School, explained that greater economic freedom in a country is associated with a lower likelihood of the spread of fake news. By contrast, greater political freedom can create more opportunities for expression, which may increase the circulation of false information. Another finding is the link between life satisfaction and misinformation. “Fake news plays on fear and polarisation. Citizens’ wellbeing and happiness allow them to be strong in the face of uncertainty,” Shirish revealed. “Especially in a crisis, anxiety prompts people to seek answers quickly and everywhere, increasing exposure to misleading content.” Shirish believes that tackling fake news requires a stronger focus on how people use digital tools, as well as how they identify manipulation and check sources. She also argues that better access to public services and information can strengthen society and support wellbeing. Local journalists and associations are one underexplored resource. “When reliable information is conveyed by people whom the public trust, seeking alternative answers becomes less appealing,” noted Shirish. EB
Ambition • ISSUE 4 • 2026 9
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