UCL Institute of Finance & Technology

IFT is fast becoming a hub of excellence of knowledge on digital finance and alternative investment. Our postgraduate degree programmes incorporate contemporary themes such as Machine Learning, IoT and Artificial Intelligence with research and industrial experiences that will help our students to develop both foundations in digital and sustainable finance and commercial competencies. IFT's academic and industrial staff are experts in their fields, providing critical advice to institutions across the public and private sector spectrum, at home and abroad.

Banking and Digital Finance MSc

Covering practical and theoretical applications in banking and the most innovative aspects of digital finance.

MSc Venture Capital and Private Equity with FinTech

Venture Capital & Private Equity with FinTech MSc

Fundamentals in venture capital, private equity and start-up business modelling.

Green decorations on a ceiling glint in the light of the sun

Responsible Finance and Alternative Assets MSc

Focusing on sustainable finance, and environmental investment and policy.

Research and Consultancy

Providing pioneering and sustainable research and consultancy for financial and economic solutions

The Parnassos mountain in Greece with the sun setting behind it

IFT's Parnassus: Publications

Our dedicated Institute blog and publications are a sounding board for new ideas and discussions on digital finance.

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Student and Industry Connection

Our industry connections underpin our research foci and help students apply their learning in the real world.

The Space 2BE (short courses)

Jeremy Bentham’s drive to ‘elevate the lives of all’ dovetails with the Institute of Finance and Technology’s core social purpose. The SPACE 2BE aims to create a knowledge-sharing hub for business ideas and entrepreneurs that provides financial laboratories, seminars, networking breakfasts, and Back-to-Basics financial and accounting training beyond the core MSc offerings and to local and City community members. In 2025-26 five short courses/thematic seminar series will be available

Data Visualisation & Storytelling

Organisations require professionals who can communicate data insights effectively and tell compelling stories. This course introduces participants to the key techniques and strategies for creating visuals and narratives from data that convey insights with clarity and are tailored to different audiences. You will learn how to design graphs for effective data communication and apply best practices for developing persuasive, logical, and influential data-driven presentations. Furthermore, you will engage in discussions on how to prepare and deliver impactful presentations to organisational stakeholders, using real business cases.

Course breakdown

Welcome
Introducing storytelling
Visual perception
Visualising data with graphs
Communicating clearly and logically
Building a persuasive argument

TERM 3 (May 2026);
Duration: 10 hours;
Dates:
Tue 26/05 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00
Wed 27/05 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00
Thu 28/05 10:00-12:00

Room 509, Marshgate Building, UCLEast

Future of Football Finance: What’s Next?

As European club revenues surpass €30 billion in 2025–26 (Deloitte & UEFA), rising costs are accelerating the shift toward smarter, faster capital strategies. Traditional debt is evolving, with clubs leveraging stadium revenues and naming rights, while players access liquidity through contract-backed financing and transfer receivables. At the same time, blockchain and digital assets are enabling new ownership and collateral models, from tokenised media rights to fan ecosystems and future revenues, unlocking more flexible, global sources of capital.

The central question for 2026 is therefore not simply about access to capital, but about capability: which organisations will most effectively transform future cash flows into resilient, sustainable balance-sheet value? Success will depend on the ability to integrate financial innovation with sound governance, risk management, and long-term strategic vision.

This executive series brings together leading figures from across football, finance, and legal practice to explore these themes from multiple perspectives:

Programme

Jun 1 – Domenico Scopelliti (Sports Lawyer) and Olivier Ducret (Sports Lawyer)
Venue: UCL East Community Cinema 1 Pool Street
Jun 2 – John Bowater (Director, Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club)
Venue: Marshgate Lecture Theatre 118
Jun 3 – Mladen Kostov (CEO, GRVTY Technologies) and Rahul Mehta (Director, Parker Lloyd Group)
Venue: Marshgate Lecture Theatre 118
Jun 4 – Maheta Molango (CEO, Professional Footballers’ Association)
Venue: Marshgate 509
Jun 5 – Matthew Benham (Owner, Brentford Football Club)
Venue: Marshgate Lecture Theatre 118

Time: 16:00-18:00
Institute of Finance & Technology UCL East
Marshgate Building, 7 Sidings St, London E20 2AE

Past events

Generative AI in Banking & Finance: Unlocking Productivity & Innovation

This short course offers a practical introduction to generative AI with a focus on banking and finance. It introduces the foundations of generative AI and large language models (LLMs), covers essential terminology and methods (e.g., fine-tuning, RAG, agentic systems), and discusses the core challenges facing the industry. The course also provides hands-on tactics to improve individual productivity and demonstrates how these technologies can be deployed in practice, with examples and an overview of common implementation hurdles.

The course comprises five one-hour lectures:

1. Introduction to Generative AI (2025-02-25)
2. LLMs 101: Tokens, Embeddings, Prompting & Retrieval (2025-03-04)
3. Applied Generative AI in Banking & Finance (2025-03-11)
4. Boosting Personal Productivity & Research (2025-03-18)
5. Frontiers, Risk & Regulation (2025-03-25)

TERM 2 (February 2026-March 2026)
Wednesday, 16:00-18:00, Room 636, Marshgate Building, UCLEast

Business and Sport

The objective of the course is to explore the technical and practical aspects between Business and Sport. Specifically, we will explain the key points for managing an athlete, identify the key individuals that manage them, and outline the methods of how they do so. We will then delve into what motivates Investors (Entrepreneurs or Companies) to invest in sports and what the economic returns are. Furthermore, we will address the topic of sustainability in the world of Sports, seeking to understand how it can be improved in this industry. Finally, we will examine the new digital technologies that are applied in various sports, such as football.

(Lectures: 08/10; 15/10; 22/10; 29/10; 05/11).

Following each lesson, there will be a brief encounter with some professional profiles in the world of Sports,who will share their own experiences. Here below you can see a short list to be confirmed.

1) Simone Vagnozzi (Sinner Coach)
2) Flavio Cipolla (Kasatkina's Coach, WTA Ranking No. 17).
3) Maria Antonietta Scopelliti (Former General Secretary of CONSOB).
4) Maheta Molango (PFA CEO)
5) Oliviier Ducret (Swiss Sports Lawyer).
6) David Wheeler (PFA Representative for Sustainable Football).
7) Vincenzo Santopadre (Former Berrettini Coach, now Sonego's Coach).
8) Danilo Pizzorno (Samsonova Coach, WTA Ranking No. 16, considered the best at applying video analysis to tennis players).
9) Football Radar, a UK-based analytics company that provides advanced data-driven insights into football.
10) Davide Chinellato, correspondent of Gazzetta dello sport in England and before in the USA.

TERM 1 (October 2025-November 2025)
Wednesday, 16:00-18:00, Room 636, Marshgate Building, UCLEast

Social Entrepreneurship: Opportunities and Challenges for Zebras in a World Fond of Unicorns

The course explores values, models, and strategies for sustainable entrepreneurship and provides an introduction to the world of impact investing, with each session featuring insights and experiences from leading expert speakers.

(Lectures: 12/11; 19/11; 26/11; 3/12; 10/12).

The topic of your 5 lectures (including guest speaker, if applicable).

1) "Introduction to Impact Investing and Impact Measurement" – with Guest Speaker Edward Yee, Co-Founder of Givfunds
2) "Social Innovation and Sustainability: Finding Your Why" – with Guest Speaker Tarek Mouganie, founder of Affinity Africa
3) "The Middle Box: Connecting Capital, Expertise, and Social Ventures" – with Guest Speaker Stephanie Woods, General Counsel and Sustainability Expert
4) "Running a Zebra: Building a Social Enterprise That Balances Profit and Purpose" – with Guest Speaker Helena Riese Harstad, Co-Founder of Optimizer Foundation
5) "Group Work: Present, Pitch, and Reflect" – with Guest Speaker and live feedback

TERM 1 (November 2025-December 2025)
Wednesday, 16:00-18:00, Room 636, Marshgate Building, UCLEast

Shelter or asset? Reimagine markets, policy, and innovation to address the housing crisis

The course explore housing as a fundamental societal challenge of our time where social justice, politics, finance and technology converge, clash and generate new opportunities when they found interest alignment. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of housing question: the roots of housing crisis; how politics and policy are responding; innovative investment models to address the challenge; and the role that technology and AI can play. Theory will be integrated with case studies and experts providing state of the art solutions.

The social housing crisis: social crisis and political priority in an international perspective
Housing as a social infrastructure: a new investment model bringing together public, private and impact investing – the case of London
The climate and energy transition through housing – a democratic perspective
designing frameworks integrating financial and social success in housing
From proptech to AI for good: the tech revolution in housing.

The course includes the participation of experts involved in the presented case studies:

1) Nathan Nagaiah, Head of AI, Newham Council and Lead of UK Centre for AI in Public Sector
2) Andrea Ruckstuhl, Lead, Lendlease UK and Europe
3) Alberto Savoldelli, independent experts on impact evaluation frameworks
4) Lucille Watkins-Brazier, Head of Social Impact, Lendlease
5) Kate Markey CEO NationWide Foundation (TBC)

Dates 21/01; 28/01; 4/02; 11/02; 18/02

TERM 1 (January 2026-February 2026)
Wednesday, 16:00-18:00, Room 636, Marshgate Building, UCLEast