Over the past decade, fintech has taken the financial world by storm, as its lead innovators have entered the race to develop the most groundbreaking economic solutions ahead of the crowd. On the other hand, many of the seasoned players in the industry have only just started easing their way into the ever-evolving sector. Financial institutions expect fintech to offer them a whole menu of revolutionary solutions, but they often come up short when it comes to the implementation stage due to a lack of readily available expert opinions on the subject. Thankfully, the scarcity may fade away in the upcoming years, as the University of Warsaw has just launched its unique postgraduate fintech program.
Why is it so special? The year-long program at UW’s Faculty of Management is aimed above all at people who are already active in the world of finances, but who want to gain a deeper understanding of fintech as a whole. The assortment of courses taught by experts and experienced businessmen will walk the participants through the main façades of the sector, such as smart contracting, shared economy, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and initial coin offering. Participants will not only grasp the newest trends in fintech, but also learn to identify the way it has come to revolutionise and reshape the financial world as a whole.
Apart from familiarizing themselves with theory, the participants will become well-versed in the legal aspect of fintech. By including a series of law-oriented courses within the program, the faculty aims to equip its future graduates with practical knowledge of regulatory practices applicable to the world of financial innovation. This will help them to navigate the legal environment of financial technologies in ways which can build a strategic advantage without compromising the legal compliance of the product.
Because theory covers only a part of the picture, UW has also included a series of workshops in the program which will help the future fintech specialists put their knowledge into action. During these workshops, the participants will be tasked with creating their own fintech implementation projects from start to finish. The participants won’t need to face the challenge alone — a team of experienced mentors will guide them through the process of risk assessment, evaluating the projects’ potential and scalability, as well as understanding its place on the market. At the end of the year, students won’t just have the theory memorized — they’ll graduate equipped with a set of practical skills necessary to succeed in the world of financial innovation.
Finally, the program also offers a series of classes dedicated to honing communication skills. After all, in the competitive world of finances, success is very much warranted by a compelling pitch! The attendees will learn the most effective ways of presenting their ideas in a comprehensive and concise way in order to win over potential investors. Meanwhile, debate courses will sharpen their argumentation talents, and provide them with a knowledge of typical consumer behavior. Additionally, after two semesters spent in a classroom filled with like-minded, entrepreneurial spirits, they’ll graduate with a contact list full of potential business partners for all of their future fintech-oriented endeavors.
Overall, it seems like the Polish financial industry will gain a team of well-rounded fintech specialists in a year’s time! In case the postgraduate program sounds like a perfect fit, the University of Warsaw is still accepting applications — feel free to check the Faculty of Management’s website to see whether you’re eligible.
