About us

At the Department of Finance we are convinced that our expertise helps shape society.

With this understanding, we strive to make positive contributions through research and teaching in areas that are relevant to the economy, science, politics, and the common good.

We do this with an awareness of the responsibility that we, as researchers and educators, have been carrying since 1968. At that time, the "Swiss Banking Institute" was founded by the Government Council of the Canton of Zurich as part of the University of Zurich. In 2011 we changed our name to the Department of Banking and Finance to reflect the increasing importance of modern finance in our research and teaching agendas.

We have decided to change our name to Department of Finance as of 1 March 2024. With the new name, we would like to better reflect the broad spectrum of research areas represented in our department today.

We also intend to make our current research portfolio more visible in the coming months. To this end, we will communicate various activities through our website and social media channels.

The Department of Finance focuses on research and teaching in the field of banking, finance, and insurance. It was founded in 1968 by the Governing Council of the canton of Zurich as "Institut für schweizerisches Bankwesen" (Swiss Banking Institute) as a part of the University of Zurich.

The department belongs to the leading university departments in Europe for topics in Asset Pricing, Corporate Finance, Financial Intermediation (Banking, Insurance), Quantitative Finance, Real Estate Economics and Finance, and Sustainable Finance. Measured by the number of professors, number of issued degrees and number of employees it is the largest department in banking and finance in Switzerland.

Mission Statement

Study programs in Banking & Finance

Every year roughly 200 to 250 students graduate with a bachelor or master's degree in Banking & Finance. The department is particularly specialized on innovative methods in teaching. The department belongs to the most experienced institutions in Switzerland in the area of e-learning and blended learning.

Bachelor in Banking and Finance (page of the dean's office)

Master in Banking and Finance (page of the dean's office)

Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (page of the program)

PhD in Finance

The Department of Finance aims at promoting young talents and offers an excellent research environment and doctoral training to advance the next generation of leading researchers, teachers, and practitioners.

Program PhD in Finance

Society

The department conducts research and teaching activities in areas that are relevant for academia, industry, policy, and the society as a whole. A particular focus lies on the proximity to the Swiss financial market and the financial center in Zurich.