The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today announced the first BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance (SGFN) Program in Hong Kong. The new program is designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills to fill the talent gap for green and sustainable finance experts and support Hong Kong to develop into a leading green finance center.
Climate change is taking center stage in the world. The brown-to-green transition requires the mobilization of large amounts of funding. To meet its carbon neutrality targets, Mainland China has rapidly expanded its green bond market and introduced different green initiatives, in which Hong Kong can play significant roles to not only support the nation's green finance market, but also develop global top talent in this new and emerging field.
Jointly offered by the School of Business and Management and the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST, the new BSc in SGFN Program is designed to nurture leaders and managers in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), impact investment, sustainable and green project financing, sustainable and green instrument and product development, and other related fields.
"The interdisciplinary nature of sustainable and green finance requires a broad-based learning experience that spans business as well as environment, science, and technology," said Prof. Veronique J A LAFON-VINAIS, SGFN Program Co-Director and a seasoned financial market professional. "Our new program gathers an interdisciplinary team of academic specialists in the areas of finance and investment, environmental science and technology, to equip students with professional knowledge and a global outlook."
Prof. Jimmy Chi-Hung FUNG, SGFN Program Co-Director and an accomplished scholar in meteorology and air pollution, said, "Today the vast majority of businesses see sustainability as a priority, as it is crystal clear that there is an apparent need for a unified and cooperative approach to tackling the environmental problems which lead to high costs not solely on our environment, but also economy and social wellbeing."
The new BSc in SGFN Program is now open for admission with the first class of 30 students to begin in 2022-23 academic year. With the new carbon emissions reduction target set out in Hong Kong and elsewhere, it is expected that there will be a strong demand for professionals with knowledge in finance, sustainability, climate change, and related technological solutions to lead and integrate ESG strategies into finance and investments in the years ahead.
Some of the required courses include: -
Business and Finance:
Managing CSR
Derivative Securities
ESG Investing
Green Finance Case Analyses
Environment and Sustainability:
Social Sustainability Risks and Challenges
Circular Economy and Life Cycle Assessment
Introduction to Sustainability
Green Business Strategy
Visit the SGFN program website
