The Logic of Internet Finance(FinTech)——Product Manager’s Perspective

金融业就是信息业

技术改变金融，算法统治世界

技术是中性的，不能以人性之恶判技术的死刑

当被动守成的风险已是生死存亡，我们还有什么创新的风险不能面对

This course deals with hot topics in the area of FinTech, or Internet Finance as initially called in China. The object is to help students understand the most recent development and financial logic behind it, both in China and abroad. We will pay special attention to the interaction of technology innovation and gradual reform of China’s financial system.

In methodological aspect, the course will familiarize students with a general framework of how financial system operates, by destructing it into four layers and multiple modules. In technical aspect, we will explain each subareas of Internet Finance, e.g, the third part payment, P2P lending, Bitcoin, and etc.

Risk management models and processes will be covered at basic level, with focus on the incremental uncertainty that FinTech introduced to regulators, institutions, and investors.

In addition, our course will offer an opportunity for the class to share subject matter expertise in fields related to internet finance, as we all acknowledge the fact that internet finance is a very new subject with new practices emerging nearly on a daily basis. As a result, case study will be an important component.

This course integrates financial theory and practice to help students understand finance intuitively, and will greatly help the following three types of students:

First, students with strong technical background. They will gain thorough understanding of finance in and out from a product manager perspective, well equipped to innovate current financial service practice.

Second, students currently working with financial institutions. They will benefit from learning industrial trends for future career planning, e.g., creating or joining a FinTech startup as a finance expert.

Third, senior undergraduate or graduate students looking for job opportunities. They will be able to reconcile what they have learned in school with industrial practices, and become familiar with the impact of FinTech innovation on job market.

This course addresses its informational nature of financial service industry, and just requires basic understanding of economics and/or finance.

本课程讨论金融科技领域的热点话题，在中国开始兴起时称互联网金融。我们课程的目标是帮助学生理解国内外金融科技领域的最新发展及其背后的金融逻辑。本课程尤其关注技术进步与中国金融体系改革之间的相互关系。

在方法论方面，本课程将提供给学生一个理解金融体系运行的一般性框架，分成4个层次，若干个模块。在技术方面，我们将详细解释互联网金融的各种模式，比如第三方支付，P2P借贷，比特币等。

本课程也会简单介绍金融风险管理的模型与方法，特别关注金融科技给监管者、金融机构和投资者带来的新的风险因素和不确定性。

此外，我们的课程也会给同学们提供分享各自与互联网金融相关专业经验的机会，因为我们深知这一领域的发展日新月异，几乎每天都有新生事物出现。所以，案例研究与学习至关重要。

本课程致力于将理论与实践相结合，希望能够帮助学生感性的理解金融，而非枯燥的公式推导。本课程将极大帮助如下三类学生：

1）技术牛咖：本课程可以帮助有强烈技术背景的同学，从一个产品经理的角度，深入、感性地理解金融体系运作，找到用技术提升、改进、甚至颠覆现有金融模式的路径。

2）金融新人：已经进入金融机构的职场新人，可以从本课程中理解行业变化趋势，尤其是金融科技对现行体系的冲击，帮助他们更好规划职业发展。Captial One副总裁与谷歌原首席信息官创办ZestFinance是个很好的例子。

3）高年级本科生和研究生：本课程可以帮助正在寻找工作机会的学生们把课堂知识与行业实践结合起来，熟悉新技术对金融行业的影响，像内行一样谈吐交流，提高面试成功机会。

关于就业

金融科技的兴起，代表着科技进步对于传统行业的改造与冲击已经无可阻挡的进入到了金融行业。无论是欧美金融机构的主动拥抱，还是中国金融机构的被动应对，曾经门口的野蛮人，在传统金融机构的半推半就中登堂入室。如果我们能够摆脱先入为主的观念，深入到金融服务的本质，我们无法否认，金融行业与其他任何行业一样，都要经受技术进步的冲击，数字化时代的金融业会越来越像信息产业。

技术背景的同学可以系统学习、理解了金融之后，进入急需技术升级的传统金融机构，或者进入金融科技企业，向金融机构提供服务和技术输出。中国最大的金融科技公司便是阿里旗下的恒生电子。

金融背景的同学可以在了解了互联网金融之后，不仅可以在本机构可以得到重用，还可以与技术牛咖合伙创建金融科技企业。ZestFinance是个绝好的案例。

新毕业生通过本课程则可以极大拓展视野，既可以走保守路线寻求传统金融机构，也可以走创新路线，尝试新型金融科技企业的机会。