Pestello Discusses Technology in Employment and Education at Global Banking Symposium

Saint Louis University President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., recently was invited to serve as a panelist for a symposium co-organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis and the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), a London-based independent think tank.

Held July 9-10 at Washington University in St. Louis, “The Next Decade of Finance: Assessing Priorities and Implications for Society, Economics and Politics” drew participants from across the globe. 

The aim of the two-day symposium was to develop thinking on future prospects for global growth through meaningful dialogue between public and private sector economists and policy-makers, as well as leading academics. 

Speakers included the current United States Trade Representative, the executive director of the World Bank and the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), among others. Topics of discussion included the economic inequality and sustainable investment. 

During a panel on the role of technology in employment and education, Pestello talked about the importance of teaching students digital and media literacy, helping them develop skills to locate, assess, integrate and ethically apply information in the age of the Internet.

Pestello also pointed out that the interests of universities and businesses often converge, adding that it’s important for colleges to stay aligned between what they teach students and what the various professions require from those entering the workforce. 

“In the academy, we absolutely must work with corporate and industry partners to ensure that we are preparing our students for successful careers, particularly those in rapidly changing areas where data and data analysis are critical,” Pestello said.