The financial crisis has turned people's attention to the importance of financial analysis and investment management, prompting many to go for mainly niche qualifications. There has been increased demand for financial professionals who have a clear understanding of the market and financial tools.
'For Hong Kong to maintain the status of an international financial centre and for industry practitioners to improve their competitiveness, there is an urgent need for rigorous educational programmes to enhance the level of knowledge and professional services,' says Professor John Wei, department of finance at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).
'The demand for expertise in financial analysis and risk management will continue to increase in the post-financial crisis era and during the economic recovery. Though the financial tsunami is a global phenomenon and the global economy seems to be stabilised, a lot of uncertainties remain.'
HKUST offers part-time programmes including master's degrees in financial analysis and investment management. 'The programmes have been widely recognised by finance professionals as premier academic programmes,' Wei says.
Students on the financial analysis programme will focus on corporate finance or security analysis, while students on the investment management course will specialise in asset management or risk management.
Students usually take 18 to 24 months to complete their studies. An intake of about 110 students is planned for the 2010-2011 academic year.
