EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht is receiving significant funding from global financial technology company Ripple, which will support the chair of Prof. Raša Karapandža,PhD, Dean of EBS Business School, as ‘Ripple Endowed Chair of Finance’. The SRH Holding will match Ripple’s contribution, doubling the total endowment that will support research and teaching in finance, blockchain, and digital assets. 

The endowment recognizes Prof. Karapandža’s academic leadership and his pioneering contributions to teaching and research in blockchain technology and financial innovation. The support is provided through Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), a global program that collaborates with leading universities. 

The funding from Ripple also opens up unique opportunities for students to gain practical experience with blockchain and FinTech. Students can participate in international competitions such as hackathons, be directly involved in research projects, and benefit from Prof. Karapandža's expertise in seminars, workshops and masterclasses. They also gain access to a global network of Ripple and UBRI partner universities, which offers valuable career and innovation opportunities.

Prof. Karapandža is one of the pioneers of FinTech education in Europe. Back in 2011, he introduced one of the first courses on blockchain, cryptography and cryptocurrencies to the EBS Master's in Finance programme. He was awarded the UBRI Educator of the Year Award in 2024 for his academic achievements. In 2025, he also received the UBRI Impact Award for the ‘Volta Initiative’, a blockchain-based project that supports small farmers in Ghana and was developed as part of the CTED research centre. 

The endowment funding provided by Ripple will be matched by SRH, thereby strengthening research and teaching at EBS Universität in the areas of FinTech, blockchain and digital assets in the long term. 

“We are proud that Ripple has chosen to support EBS in this significant way,” said Professor Karapandža, Dean of EBS Business School. “This generous endowment strengthens our long-standing focus on blockchain, FinTech, and digital assets, further amplified by the SRH Foundation’s matching contribution. At EBS, we have taught blockchain and cryptography long before the hype, not as buzzwords, but as rigorous subjects. For more than 10 years, even our undergraduate finance students in their fifth semester have learned the mathematics behind cryptography and built code that runs on distributed computing devices with shared memory, commonly referred to as blockchains. We encourage our students not only to understand financial innovation, but to build it. Ripple’s support enables us to expand our research, deepen our global engagement, and further enhance the learning experience for the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.” 

“EBS is a leader in blockchain research, and we’re proud to support this next chapter of impact,” said Lauren Weymouth, Senior Director of University Partnerships at Ripple. “This latest endowment toward Prof. Karapandža’s important work reflects exactly what UBRI stands for, advancing world-class research that moves our industry forward.”