IÉSEG joins new Bloomberg program for leaders in experiential learning
06/05/2018
IÉSEG has for a number of years been one of Bloomberg’s major European academic partners with the development of its virtual trading rooms on both the Lille and Paris campuses, which use Bloomberg terminals. The School is pleased to announce that it has joined the Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner (ELP) program.
The Bloomberg ELP is designed to recognize academic institutions that are leaders in experiential learning through the integration of Bloomberg terminal exercises in their curricula.
Bloomberg is aiming, through this initiative, to build a community of peer universities and professors that provide their students with innovative courses to build their financial market awareness and career readiness. To be considered for the program, institutions must fulfil certain eligibility criteria (in terms of their teaching, courses, and use of Bloomberg terminals).
Renaud Beaupain, Director of the Master of Science in Investment Banking & Capital Markets, who is responsible for the trading rooms, explains: “We are delighted that Bloomberg has recognized the innovative way IÉSEG has integrated experiential learning (with Bloomberg terminals) in different programs at the School. The trading rooms enable students to use the theoretical knowledge they gain in simulated real-life situations. The practical competences they gain are very useful in their future careers.”
At IÉSEG, finance students (Grande École program, MSc in Finance and MSc in Investment Banking and Capital Markets) receive introductory Bloomberg sessions in the School’ trading rooms. In the Master cycle of the Grande École program, this includes an introduction to key elements of the service and exporting data to Excel.
In the Master of Science programs, they receive a longer, more in-depth introduction to Bloomberg services. These initiation sessions are validated through the Bloomberg Market Concepts certificate, which students can gain (for the ELP program, more than 100 students from an institution must complete the BMC course in a calendar year).
After the introduction sessions, the use of Bloomberg terminals is then integrated more intensively into the teaching of different finance courses at IÉSEG. The range of courses covers topics such as company valuation, managing portfolios (stock or bonds), risk management (credit risk or market risk) or computer programming (VBA).
In the course on equity research, for example, each session is based on 50% theory and 50% practice. The practical elements encompass demonstrations by the professor as well as the financial modelling carried out by the students. At the end of the course, students (in groups) develop their own model, each providing a scenario for the future of the company.
Students also have free access to the trading rooms outside of classes to help develop their skills and experience with the terminals.