The International Certificate in Banking and Risk Management is designed to provide a strong background in banking for professionals in the financial services sector. It is intended to boost the knowledge and skills for those destined for careers in the financial services sector. Financial services have undergone a rapid transformation in the last decade as a result of advances in technology, globalization and product innovations, providing opportunities but also risks to commercial banks. Both small and large banks offer multiple services that incorporate the latest technology to compete in the marketplace. Traditional jobs such as bank-tellers and account keeping has been replaced with multi-tasking jobs that require participants to be educated in a variety of analytical skills and software to perform multiple banking functions. The International Certificate program covers a comprehensive range of topics to familiarize participants with the latest developments in bank management and risk analysis, taught by a group of international professors from the US, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, and Spain. It is delivered 100% online.

A total of eight modules must be completed to obtain the certificate. The eighth capstone topic is participating in a bank simulation, ProBanker, where students will compete each other to manage a bank successfully, measured by maximizing returns and minimizing risk.

Participants will be able to complete the program at their own pace and will receive their certificate as soon as they complete all 8 modules. The recommended procedure is to complete one module per month.

A unique feature of the International Certificate program is the use of ProBanker Simulation as the primary tool for empirically teaching banking principles and tools. ProBanker mimics a real bank where participants can make a range of decisions to practice concepts and principles discussed in the lectures. They can analyze the outcome of their decisions in real time. It is firmly grounded in sound financial and microeconomic principles and the simulated environment, although complex and realistic, is sufficiently stylized to be readily understood. This “hands-on” approach is similar to learning on the job except the cost of failure is null. ProBanker simulation covers all major banking functions such as credit analysis, liquidity analysis, interest rate risk management, and bank capital. Participants can practice solo as well as work with teams remotely. Assignments and tests are integrated into the curriculum to make it easy to follow throughout the program. ProBanker is used at over 50 colleges, as well as in many training programs at banks and Fintech companies around the world. It has been translated from English into: Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Bahasa, and Arabic, allowing participants to use the simulator in their preferred language.

Access Criteria

  • Personnel working in the banking sector, with or without a university degree, and seeking to enhance their career in bank management.
  • Professionals, including lawyers, IT specialists, and accountants, providing services to the banking sector and seeking to enhance their knowledge in the principles of banking
  • Students at universities worldwide pursuing a business, finance, or economics degree and wishing to add a certificate to their resume.
  • Junior bankers wishing to improve their banking skills for a fast-track career.

Modules

Module 1

INTRODUCTON TO COMMERCIAL BANKING

Module 2

CENTRAL BANKS AND MODERN PAYMENT SYSTEMS

Module 3

MEASURES OF BANK PERFORMANCE

Module 4

CREDIT ANALYSIS AND CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT

Module 5

INTEREST RATE RISK MANAGEMENT

Module 6

REGULATORY CAPITAL AND BASEL STANDARDS

Module 7

MARKET AND OPERATIONAL RISK

Module 8

CAPSTONE COURSE: COMPETITIVE BANK MANAGEMENT

In Module 8, participants compete either individually or in teams against each other using the ProBanker simulation in competitive mode over six simulated quarters. Decisions are due every week during one month. After each round is simulated, they will examine the results and make decisions for the following simulated quarter. A final post-performance report is due after six simulated quarters (which corresponds in reality to one month) that incorporates decisions and outcomes of the game.

Participants will have at their disposal:

1. ProBanker license. One license will be provided to every participant enrolled in the program. The license will be valid till the participant graduates from the program, with a maximum validity of 1.5 years from the beginning of the program.

2. Course readings for all Modules 1-8. The readings are primarily excerpted from the textbook titled “Principles of Banking” by Mark Flood and Anoop Rai.

3. Student Manual. The student manual provides details on all the features of ProBanker and instructions on usage and description of the variables.

4. 32 hours of videos with lectures provided by the teaching staff.

5. Evaluation for each module.

The International Certificate in Banking and Risk Management is issued by the Institute of International Economics at Universitat Jaume I (Spain), in collaboration with ProBanker and the GEMFM Global Network.