North Wales Business School Launches New Degree Dedicated To The World Of Fintech

US investment bankers and professionals from the Asia business world are backing the UK’s first undergraduate degree dedicated to the world of Financial Technology. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Senior Vice Presidents at multi-billion dollar American investment firms Franklin Templeton and State Street have endorsed North Wales Business School’s BSc (Hons) Financial Technology Management course. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The course will provide students with the business skills needed to exploit opportunities within the financial technology sector, more commonly referred to as Fintech. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Technology revolution has changed the world, definitely the financial world,” said Claudius Tsang, Partner / Co-Head of Private Equity, North Asia, at Templeton Private Equity Partners, Franklin Templeton Investments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m glad to know Wrexham Glyndwr University has a vision to become the pioneer in FinTech education, and I am sure the program will be well received.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Lloyd Powell, Head of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Cymru Wales, said: “On behalf of ACCA Cymru Wales, I am delighted to support the launch of Wrexham Glyndwr University’s ground-breaking new degree in Financial Technologies. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As new technology brings new challenges and opportunities, it is vital that higher education can play a key part in delivering graduates equipped with the skills that employers will need. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The new degree will give students a mix of theory and practical skills and experience in order to support the growth of this important sector.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Course leader Anna Sung, lecturer at Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: “Rather than teaching students the technologies behind the rise of Fintech, the course will teach them how to generate new business ideas and create their own startup using the technologies available to them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Now more than ever businesses need employees with the knowledge and skills to advise on how they can grow within the financial services sector. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve designed the course with input from leaders of FinTech companies across the world and the degree delivers exactly the kind of skills which they look for in potential new recruits.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Fintech industry covers businesses which use technology within financial services to improve a product or service for customers – everything from payment methods to setting up bank accounts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Global investment in FinTech ventures in the first quarter of 2016 was £4.1 billion and it’s estimated that 100,000 new jobs in FinTech will be created in the UK by 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kelvin Leong, Principal Lecturer and Professional Lead in Finance, said: “The steering group which we’ve got on board for the degree is world-class, including partners from an international recruitment firm and the manager of a Fortune 500 programme, along with the Senior Vice-Presidents from investment bank.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The BSc (Hons) Financial Management Technology degree is available to study at Wrexham Glyndwr University full time over three years. Students can also study on a fast-track option over two years, saving on a year’s tuition fees. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​