Introduction to financial technology

Financial technology, also known as FinTech, is an economic industry composed of companies that use technology to make financial services more efficient. Financial technology companies are generally startups trying to disintermediate incumbent financial systems and challenge traditional corporations that are less reliant on software.

This course aims to give an insight into the financial technology revolution, and the disruption, innovation, and opportunity therein. We will see the global FinTech investment space; this unit will aggregate diverse industry expertise into a single informative unit to provide you with the answers you need to capitalise on in this lucrative market. Key industry developments are explained in detail, and critical insights from cutting-edge practitioners offer first-hand information and lessons learned.

The financial technology sector is booming, and entrepreneurs, bankers, consultants, investors, and asset managers are scrambling for more information: Who are the key players? What's driving the explosive growth? What are the risks? This course collates insights, knowledge, and guidance from industry experts to provide the answers to these questions and more.

The unit will provide you with the latest empowering and practical knowledge on FinTech enabling you to understand some of the FinTech changes taking place currently in the financial services industry and, most importantly, the trends that will impact the industry in the future.

This is a very practical course with a heavy emphasis on guest lectures on the latest industry trends and best practices by industry experts and entrepreneurs rather than theoretical concepts.

Active learning - This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.

Case-based teaching - This unit includes case-based teaching, where you apply your knowledge and engage in analytical and reflective thinking to solve complex contextual scenarios. Activities are often designed so that there is not one clear answer, but you need to work together to examine, analyse and make decisions to resolve the situation.

Problem-based learning - This unit includes problem-based learning approaches, where you engage in research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop viable solutions in response to a problem or set of problems.

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.