Doctorate of Advanced Professional Studies in Applied Finance 2021

The aim of the programme is to train entrepreneurs, investors and senior managers in analyzing, anticipating and conducting scientifically applied research in the field of asset management.

Information

Period

Contact coordinator
80 ECTS credits
The 10 modules take place from Thursday to Sunday (09:00-12 and 13:30-16:30).

Language

Bilingue (Anglais/Mandarin)

Contact

Location

Geneva, Switzerland and Beijing, China

Registration

Contact coordinator

Objectives

  • Sharpen and broaden skills in wealth management
  • Cope with the current and future evolution of financial markets
  • Face an increasingly competitive, globalized and uncertain world

 

Audience

Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, senior executive, public official and manager. Anyone who wants to learn about the latest academic and professional advances in finance, to understand and develop optimal wealth management strategies that will consolidate their prosperity as well as ensure the security of their heirs.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the professional doctorate program, our graduates will:

  • master advanced conceptual and quantitative methods and have financial expertise, specifically in Wealth Management
  • have a deep understanding of banking, financial markets, as well as traditional, alternative, and sustainable investments
  • acquire evidence-based scientific research skills in the context of writing a professional doctoral thesis with academic integrity, focusing on some of the most innovative topics in Wealth Management
  • develop advanced written and oral communication skills, in particular through the redaction and defense of their dissertation in Applied Finance

Programme

A three years high-level executive programme consisting of ten courses taught by renowned professors and professionals in finance and law, half taught by Tsinghua University and the other half by the University of Geneva

Integration of the various aspects related to wealth management (financial, tax, legal, computational, behavioral, and societal)

  • Access to interactive teaching methods and research platform
  • Integration and exchange of knowledge between the academic word and the professional world
  • A Study trip and networking opportunities
  • A Doctoral Thesis

The programme is organized into 10 thematic modules (50 ECTS credits), 1 methodological module (5 ECTS credits) and a thesis in applied research (25 ECTS credits). As classes are taught in Mandarin and English, the names of the courses and the dissertation are given in English.

Director(s)

Prof. Rajna GIBSON BRANDON, Geneva Finance Research Institute (GFRI), University of Geneva, Mr. Jun YAN, Director, China Global Philanthropy Institute (CGPI)

Coordinator(s)

Marylaure BLOCH, Switzerland
ZHANG Na, China
The “Doctorate of Advanced Professional Studies in Applied Finance” is a three-year high-level executive program consisting of ten courses taught by renown professors and professionals in finance and law. Half of the program is taught by the Faculty of Tsinghua University and the other half is taught by the Faculty of the University of Geneva. The aim of the programme is to train entrepreneurs, investors and senior managers in analyzing, anticipating and conducting scientifically applied research in the field of asset management.

Prospective graduates will benefit from a solid knowledge in the fields of financial markets, international portfolio management, risk management, quantitative and qualitative methods of finance, along with analysis and modeling methods that will enable them to meet the challenges faced by companies in an increasingly uncertain and globalized environment.

Speakers

Prof. ZHANG Xiaoyan

Description

Key topic:

  • Global Capital Market

This module aims to:

  • Establish an academic framework for Global Capital Market
  • Explain research methods: Hypothesis, data and verification
  • Understand the frontiers of Global Capital Market research
  • Develop student’s imagination, logic and hands-on abilities
  • Understand the development of modern banking and to be able to discuss the reason of its current status
  • Understand the current challenges faces by financial institutions and the future development trends
  • Explore the characteristics of the Chinese financial system, based on the experiences of mature financial institutions in developed countries and China’s reality, and to map the future direction of financial reforms

Speakers

Prof. Tony BERRADA, Prof. Inès CHAIEB

Description

Key topic:

  • Portfolio Management, International Diversification, Currency and Carry Trade Strategies

This module aims to:

  • Understand the process of portfolio construction and acquire skills to implement these processes
  • Recognize globalization as a major trend affecting the asset management industry and understand how portfolio can be diversified internationally
  • Explore special diversification opportunities for international investors in emerging financial markets or carry trade strategies

Speakers

Prof. YU Jianfeng

Description

Key topic:

  • Asset Pricing with Frictions, Behavioural Asset Pricing, Behavioural Finance, International Markets

This module aims to:

  • Understand the frontiers between behavioural finance and quantitative strategy research
  • Establish a framework of knowledge
  • Based on behavioural deviations in the financial market, apply different strategies to judge and make decision on market investments.
  • Develop analysis, judgement and decision marking abilities on behavioural finance

Speakers

Dr. Michel CROUHY, Prof. Dan GALAI, Prof. Olivier SCAILLET, Prof. Fabio TROJANI

Description

Key topic:

  • Risk Management, Risk Measures

This module aims to:

  • Apply best-practice risk methodologies for wealth management in complex areas such as market risk, operational risk, liquidity risk, and asset liability management
  • Improve corporate governance, reporting structures and risk transparency to satisfy investors, regulators and other constituencies
  • Master risk-modelling tools used in the industry to monitor risk at the bank level and at the client level in wealth management

Speakers

Prof. YANG Zhishu

Description

Key topic:

  • Financial Market Microstructure, Banking and Financial Institutions, Investment, Financial Markets and Investment Strategy

This module aims to:

  • Master the background, basic concepts and framework of Financial Market Investment
  • Learn new pattern of financial regulation and industry investment
  • Understand the cutting-edge development of financial technology and the investment prospect
  • Develop capabilities to analyse financial market, evaluate investment strategies and make decisions

Speakers

Prof. Rajna GIBSON BRANDON, Prof. Harald HAU, Prof. Martin HOESLI, Prof. Philipp KRUEGGER

Description

Key topic:

  • Alternative Investments, Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Funds

This module aims to:

  • Understand the main characteristics, valuation and performance attributes of three important categories of alternative investments, namely hedge funds, private equity and sustainable investments
  • Identify how different decisions impact value creation and value transfer
  • Exploring how sustainability issues are incorporated into traditional investment management

Speakers

Prof. TIAN Xuan

Description

Key topic:

  • Corporate Innovation in High Technology Industry, Venture Capital, Angel investment

This module aims to:

  • Establish a knowledge framework for high-tech industry venture capital
  • Master quantitative and qualitative analysis research methods (incl. data analysis, theoretical analysis and empirical research)
  • Understand the research frontier between high-tech industry venture capital market and angel investment
  • Develop logical and analytical capabilities to judge the high-tech industry risk investment market

Speakers

Prof. Olivier SCAILLET, Prof. Fabio TROJANI

Description

Key topic:

  • Quantitative Investment Strategies

This module aims to:

  • Master important data-analytic tools in wealth management
  • Optimize the risk-return trade-off in financial markets with quantitative investment strategies
  • Develop research-based and innovative solutions at a highly complex level for academic and professional activities

Speakers

Ernst & Young team (jointly developed the curriculum)

Description

Key topic:

  • Law regulation in Wealth Management, Tax Planning, Financial Innovation

This module aims to:

  • Establish the knowledge framework for law and tax planning in the wealth management practice
  • Understand the latest developments in the laws and regulations of corporate wealth management practices
  • Understand the global tax environment and the challenges groups and its subsidiaries are facing
  • Master the solutions to common legal and tax issues in wealth management and to develop logical analysis skills

Speakers

Dr. Michel GIRARDIN

Description

Topic:

  • Private Wealth Management, Tactical Asset Allocation

This course addresses the techniques used in the Wealth Management industry to build optimal asset allocations, which meet the investors’ objectives. We offer an immersion into the Private Banking world with a Geneva Study Tour of one week that combines lectures in Private Banking with visits of some of the most prestigious financial institutions located in Geneva such as Banque Edmond de Rothschild, BCGE, Julius Bär, Lombard Odier, Mirabaud, PWC and UBS as well as opportunities to network with Swiss financial professionals.

Assessment

A Doctoral thesis has to be submitted within 12 months following the end of the teaching programme. Students are required to write their thesis in English. In case of difficulty in achieving this, they will be asked to provide their thesis translated into English by accredited Chinese-English translators.

Admission criteria

To enter the programme, the following requirements must be met

  • Hold at least a master’s degree from a university recognized by the University of Geneva
  • Have a minimum of 5 years professional experience, or part-time equivalent, in banking, finance or related industries
  • Be fluent in both English and Chinese

The Admission Committee will review the file of each applicant and invite eligible candidates to take the entrance examination. Tsinghua University and the University of Geneva are the sole entities in charge of the examination.

The entrance examination aims to assess the applicant’s overall qualification, innovative potential, and academic competences. The examination method is mainly based on interviews. After consideration of the submitted application file and the entrance examination’s results, the Admission Committee notifies the successful candidates.

  • Prof. Tony BERRADA, Professor of Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI
  • Prof. Inès CHAIEB, Professor of Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Dr. Michel CROUHY, Founder and President, Natixis Foundation for Quantitative Research, Paris

  • Ernst & Young team 

  • Prof. Dan GALAI, Dean, Abe Grey Emeritus Professor, Jerusalem Business School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

  • Prof. Rajna GIBSON BRANDON, Programme Director, Professor of Finance and Deputy Director, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Dr. Michel GIRARDIN, Lecturer in Macro-Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. Harald HAU, Professor of Economics & Finance and Director, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. Martin HOESLI, Professor of Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. Philipp KRUEGGER, Professor of Responsible Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. Olivier SCAILLET, Professor of Probability & Statistics and Deputy Director, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. TIAN Xuan, Assistant Dean and JD Capital Chair Professor of Finance, Tsinghua University, PBCSF

  • Prof. Fabio TROJANI, Professor of Finance, University of Geneva, GFRI

  • Prof. YANG Zhishu,  Professor of Finance, Director, Department of Finance, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University

  • Prof. YU Jianfeng, Jianshu Chair Professor of Finance, Tsinghua University, PBCSF

  • Prof. ZHANG Xiaoyan, Xinyuan Chair Professor of Finance, Vice President of China National Institute of Finance, China National Institute of Finance, Tsinghua University, PBCSF