15 July 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - The digital world has become an everyday part of our lives: at the office, at home, in government, in entertainment and the news. Almost anyone on the planet can now learn about, and do things, that were impossible but a few years ago: we can buy and sell groceries, houses, businesses, cars, electronics… anything the wide world has to offer; migrant workers can send remittances; loans can be cleared with a click; investors can choose investments; and jobs can be searched online. All usually much simpler than before.

This new world that runs in parallel and overlaps our daily reality is all-pervasive, aims at ease of transaction and is increasingly replacing the old ways of living our lives, running our businesses and governing nations. 

But understanding the digital world is also becoming increasingly complex and has its own challenges. We all need to better understand it, especially for people who work at the interface of the technical, development and social. In particular, how can the digital world help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals that seek to create a safer, more just and healthier world for all?

To help us better equipped to deal with the opportunities and challenges, UNITAR is offering a series of online courses on digital finance aimed at a range of professionals (and others simply interested to know more). 
    
Each one uses a flexible-learning approach so you can fit it into your personal and professional schedules and features presentations by experts, reading material, case studies, discussions and tailored assessments. 

We’ll explain a little more about each of the six, 4-to-6-week-long courses to whet your appetite for learning more. Click on the link in each course to get full information and register.

The first course in the series provides a general introduction to digitalization and its historical context, springing from production processes to the present universality. The focus is on digitalization’s effects on individuals, organizations and whole societies. There are case studies from telecommunications, manufacturing and transport, among others. 

The course is designed for senior officials from all spheres of government, private enterprise, civil society organizations, private and public finance bodies, investment houses, international trading entities, and project management. Academics, lawyers, policymakers, negotiators and technology managers alike will benefit.

See detailed course description and registration. https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/systemic-trends-cross-border-trade-and-finance-opportunities-and-risks-digitalisation

Financial technology has become all-pervasive, reaching into all corners of the world. Services from new and traditional groups have dramatically changed the way we interact with finance.  FinTech, as it is known, brings increased competition and more efficient products and services, including greater financial inclusion. The course also explains “Green” Fintech and Islamic Fintech.

But FinTech companies are also posing new risks to investors and consumers alike, challenging national and global financial stability and integrity. Many governments are rushing to keep up with the rapid technological changes and the development of their own FinTech networks. Innovative regulatory approaches have appeared, such as “sandboxes” and “innovation hubs”.

This course is sure to be of interest not only if you are involved in financial services, are a trader, investor or a consumer and also if you are a public-sector regulator.

See detailed course description and registration. https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/fintech-financial-innovation-transformation-and-opportunities-digital-age

The rapid development of new payment products and services, including pre-paid and store-value cards or e-cash, smartphone and desktop transactions, and virtual currencies, has radically changed 21st century financial markets and services. While these offerings promote financial inclusion, they are also of interest to criminals with intent to perpetrate fraud, launder money, finance terrorism, evade tax and extort funds, among others. 

Consequently, policymakers, regulators, law-enforcement authorities, and financial institutions who assess the risks of financial crimes are under pressure to put in place strong measures to reduce harm, particularly with cross-border transactions. 

The course focuses on building knowledge of financial crime risks, enabling you to analyse the different types of financial crime and how you can detect and mitigate them. It also analyses the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Good practices will be discussed along with case studies.

The course is an intermediate level for staff of the banking and financial sector, law-enforcement agencies, financial-intelligence units, fraud and compliance managers, risk-management professionals, FinTech firms, policy makers, regulators, consultants and senior practitioners.

See detailed course description and registration. https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/understanding-financial-crime-threat-digital-financial-services

This course provides a comprehensive overview of all the new FinTech developments through analyses of advances, focusing on the underlying economics.

You will acquire a broad set of skills that allow you to identify the economic mechanisms behind different FinTech innovations, including the major features that can make a venture successful. You will learn how to analyze the institutional arrangements that promote innovations in FinTech and assess the advantages and disadvantages. 

This will be of interest to you if you work in a ministry of Finance, other government agencies involved with finance, financial institutions, law firms, central, commercial and investment banks, insurance companies, multinational corporations, and accountancy and consultancy firms.

See detailed course description and registration. https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/economics-fintech-foundations-applications-impact

In the midst of the climate emergency, COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, the world is at a turning point. But to where? This course will help you learn to use the digital world to usher the planet towards sustainable development.

You will learn from inspiring business cases, regulatory examples and development projects about how to use FinTech for sustainability and financial inclusion. You will learn how to design your own project, receive feedback from experts and graduate with knowledge and experience in creating a digital and sustainable environment.

This course invites entrepreneurs, start-ups, government officials, regulatory authority officials, and development experts to learn about new digital financial tools for increased financial inclusion and sustainable development.

See detailed course description and registration. https://www.unitar.org/event/full-catalog/harnessing-digital-financial-innovations-sustainable-development

This course introduces four of the most impactful digital technologies with the greatest potential to improve our lives: Artificial Intelligence; blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies; robotics and automation; and the Internet of Things. Experts will explain why and how these technologies are having — and will likely have more — unprecedented impact on our lives. During the 4-week course you will interact with experts and explore the innovations through case studies, stories and practical examples. You will also be able to assess the potential impact of one of the technologies on your own area.

See detailed course description and registration. https://unitar.org/event/full-catalog/blockchain-ai-and-other-digital-technologies-applications-and-implications-sustainable