In banking, as in other professions, continuing education has become one of the prerequisites of steady career advancement. Employees can't simply rely on good on-the-job performance, but must also develop new perspectives to understand the technical changes and broader forces shaping their industry, if they hope to keep moving ahead.
With that in mind, the Chinese University (CUHK) introduced a postgraduate diploma in global finance in 2007.
Originally, the programme was only for staff of Credit Suisse and tailored specifically to their needs. But from next October's intake, the course will also be open to general applicants who work at management level in the banking and financial services sector.
'The diploma covers the framework of financial systems and instruments available in global markets,' says Jeremy Cheng, executive officer at CUHK's Asia-Pacific Institute of Business, which oversees the programme.
'It is for people who want to advance in bank management, and balances theoretical aspects with day-to-day issues and training in how to work effectively.'
Cheng says the course lasts 15 months and consists of six main modules. These include the management of financial institutions, corporate governance and strategic management.
