Lijana Baublyte, 23, from Lithuania  (pictured left), a student on the MSc Management (Finance) Programme at the University’s School of Business and Economics, is to take up her PhD from October 2007 at the Kemmy School of Business, University of Limerick, where she will study the underwriting of political risks.

The scholarship is supported by the Bermudan insurer, Axis Capital, and covers full fees, an annual maintenance grant of approximately 13,000 Euros (approx. £8,800), and a generous travel and conference support budget for the 3 years it will take Lijana to complete her PhD.

Lijana’s research will develop a methodology for assessing and pricing political risks in international insurance and reinsurance markets. This will involve working closely with the underwriters of Axis Capital at their offices in Dublin and Bermuda. Her research will also involve an internship in Bermuda during the second year of the PhD programme.

Professor Mike Adams of the School of Business and Economics said: “This is a great opportunity to carry out advanced research in an increasingly important area. The knowledge and expertise that Lijana will acquire during her research at the University of Limerick are likely to be in high demand by insurance and reinsurance companies in the future.

“And of course the opportunity to visit Bermuda and work with underwriters in one of the world’s most innovative insurance markets is an added bonus.”

Lijana said: “I am very much looking forward to studying at the University of Limerick. My interest in insurance and risk management stems from the courses taught on my MSc programme. I also had the opportunity to visit the Lloyds of London insurance market, and was fascinated by the work of insurance underwriters. I am greatly indebted to Professor Adams and his colleagues for their help and support.”

In July 2007 Lijana also secured the IMC Group prize of £350 for the best student performance on the Contemporary Finance Issues postgraduate finance paper.

Lijana is the second postgraduate student from Swansea University this year to be awarded a scholarship to research risk and insurance.

Syrian national Hale Abdul Kader, 28, (pictured right) who completed the MSc Finance Programme, was awarded the Agnes Hempsell Doctoral Scholarship to study for her PhD at the Centre for Risk and Insurance Studies, University of Nottingham.

Hale also recently won a research student travel grant worth £1,000 from the Sverige Riksbanken Jubileumsfond (Sweden’s Central Bank Jubilee Fund) to visit Sweden to present her research at Umeå University in December 2007.

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