When Telfer School of Management student George Khalife leaves for the prestigious Rotman International Trading Competition taking place in Toronto February 20 to 22, to compete with five top uOttawa finance students against 50 universities worldwide, he will be better prepared thanks to the school’s new Financial Research and Learning Lab, a joint initiative between Telfer and the uOttawa library.
 
With the Bloomberg Professional financial network available on nine computer terminals, news and business TV channels on three other screens and a host of seminars, training sessions and workshops, the lab is designed to emulate a professional trading lab, with real-time industry-standard products used in public and private sector financial work environments.
 
But while physical resources like the lab are useful in their own right, the added support of lab manager Pouya Safi, a Telfer MBA grad himself, further boosts students’ learning. In fact, Khalife credits Safi with his involvement in the upcoming competition. “Pouya does a fantastic job in managing the lab and keeping the students up to date with important competitions, seminars and events.”
 
For Safi, “The atmosphere and buzz in the lab is truly what makes it special. It really feels like a trading floor, with students shooting ideas around each other, talking about what’s happening in the market and creating new like-minded friends. This is by no means a quiet lab!” He added, “With all the tools available, students can really gain an edge when entering the job market. I’m honoured to be a part of the growth of these bright students as they transform into the leaders of the future and to be continuing to help develop our finance and accounting program into one of the top in country!”
 
“The terminals are extremely innovative and robust.  They enable the user to conduct extensive research on any financial segment, as well as keep up to date with recent news and events,” added Khalife, whose grades and course material comprehension have improved since he started using the lab. “I am very passionate about my field of study and the lab has expanded my enjoyment in ways I cannot describe. I urge all business students to pass by and see what these terminals have to offer us!”
 
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