Financial Technology (FinTech) is a newly emerging interdisciplinary field between finance and engineering which has been demonstrating an unprecedented potential to revolutionise the traditional financial service sector. It focuses on employing cutting-edge developments in engineering, particularly information technology and data sciences, in various financial practices to improve service efficiency and increase end-user customer satisfaction. To meet foreseeable strong demands for FinTech professionals in the coming decades, the Faculty of Engineering of will launch a new four-year undergraduate programme in FinTech (JUPAS Code: JS4428) in the 2017/18 academic year, the first of its kind in Hong Kong. It aims to nurture leadership and entrepreneurship among the next generation of local talent in support of Hong Kong’s endeavor to grow into an international FinTech hub. The first intake will be up to a quota of 30.
This new FinTech programme will closely collaborate with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) to organise internships and overseas exchanges for students. It is built upon CUHK Faculty of Engineering’s strong collaboration with the Faculties of Business Administration, Law, and Social Science. This multi-disciplinary training will equip students with both solid technological education in engineering innovations, and an understanding of the business and legal environment for FinTech. New course offerings, including Financial Infrastructures, E-Payment Systems and Cryptocurrency Technologies, Internet Finance, and Financial Informatics, bring state-of-the-art developments in the field to undergraduate education for the first time.
Prof. Chen Nan, the Programme Director remarked, ‘Graduates of this programme will be ideally suited for positions that require strong quantitative and technological skills in the financial services industry. Prospective career opportunities include investment and commercial banking, insurance, asset management, internet finance, government regulatory agencies, and FinTech startups. They can also pursue further advanced studies in finance, management sciences and engineering, computer sciences, information engineering and related fields.’
The Faculty of Engineering will host an information session at Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK, on 11 January 2017 to introduce more details about the Bachelor of Engineering Programme in Financial Technology. Mr. Shu Pui LI, Executive Director (Financial Infrastructure) of HKMA, and Dr. Duncan Wong, Director, Security and Data Sciences of ASTRI will each give a talk. Please visit http://fintech.se.cuhk.edu.hk or email to dept@se.cuhk.edu.hk for inquiries.
