The second annual Edwards Symposium was held July, bringing several international presenters to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Edwards Finance and Management Science Department Head, Craig Wilson explains how the symposium is in line with the objectives of the Centre for Strategic Financial Management. “The main purpose is to link us to the research community more tightly and let them know the Edwards School of Business Finance Department is engaged in research,” he says. “It helps us become better known in our discipline.”

While the first symposium focused on corporate governance, this year’s presenters spoke on financial markets and institutions. “The topics are timely,” says Wilson. “With the financial crisis going on, there’s been quite a bit of research done in these areas. And having a symposium with a specific topic allows for better feedback and helps us attract better researchers.”

With the help of a selection panel, eleven presenters from as far as Sydney, Australia were chosen to participate in the symposium. Edwards faculty and students brought the number of participants to around thirty, which Wilson says works well. “The feedback we've received from participants over the last two years has been very positive,” he says. “One of the nice things about a small setting is that you can have fairly detailed conversations with all of the participants. That’s something you just don't get at a conference with hundreds of people.”

Sessions were held from July 29^th – 31^st on topics such as the pricing and performance of corporate bonds, crash risks and information leakages. Past President of the Midwest Finance Association and Professor of Finance at Iowa State University Dr. Arnold Cowan presented on the market response to volatility in banking. “Cowan was looking at how the market responded to the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) governed takeover of failing banks,” Wilson explains. “It seemed the federal assistance was actually going into the coffers of the acquiring banks.”

The symposium also included an interpretive tour at the Beaver Creek Conservation Area between sessions. “The tour served to showcase the area around Saskatoon,” Wilson says. “Everyone was very surprised at how beautiful the city was and how green it was. They were very impressed.”

“Having all of the presenters be external to Edwards for the past two years was a conscious effort to develop some credibility,” he explains. “It also allows our students to see research going on elsewhere and helps our faculty in terms of developing co-authors. Going forward, we’ll expect to include some of our own work.”