DCU students engaged with top financial and innovative technology industry professionals at DCU Alpha’s first event on Capital Markets and Fintech on Tuesday.
The symposium gave students an insight into the future of financial services and innovative technology in the EU, more specifically in cloud and mobile computing, social business, and big data analytics.
“This industry engagement offers tangible benefit to DCU students’ educational experience in a number of ways and plugs them into a wider national and international discourse on capital markets and Fintech,” Dr Mark Cummins, panellist and Senior Lecturer in Finance at DCU said.
The Capital Markets Union, set up by the European Commission, and Fintech, the innovative technology for financial services group, aim to heavily expand capital market infrastructure and create jobs for all in the EU.
The event looked at the challenges and opportunities in this innovation to come, and launched a number of partnerships with DCU.
DCU Business School was recognised at the event as member of the non-profit European Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre (ECMCRC), meaning a future of academic research, industry engagement, and cooperation among Universities.
“This positive enterprise-ready image of DCU impacts our reputation and ultimately the employability of our students,” Prof Theo Lynn, panellist, Professor of Digital Business and Associate Dean of Industry, Engagement and Innovation said.
The Centre further promoted its €80 billion ‘Horizon 2020’ program, the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever according to the European Commission, aims to secure Europe’s global competition and provide ground-breaking research in financial and technological innovation.
The Finance Innovation Group (FIG), also launched at the event, comprises of researchers from DCU Business School, the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4), and industry partners.
Close to 100 people, including industry professionals and academics attended the first event of four to be had. A number of companies joined IC4 as a result.
“I think it is an incredibly exciting space for Ireland and future graduates,” Prof Theo Lynn said.
Other companies that panelled at the event include Coalface Capitol, KPMG, Deloitte, Mason Hayes & Curra, IBM, and Orca Money; as well as Terence Bowden, Community and Business Development for DCU Business School and DCU Alpha.
The Second Quarterly Symposium on Alternative Finance will take place June next, with the third on Sustainable Finance and Responsible Investment in September.
Sabrine Donohoe