When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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There are 4 modules in this course
In this course, you will learn about the famous dichotomy between active and passive investing, how to appropriately measure and analyze investment performance and what the future trends in the investment management industry are.
You will first learn about absolute and relative performance, risk-adjusted returns and how to decompose investment performance. The focus will then shift to the two main categories of investment vehicles, active and passive funds, and what they entail in terms of expected performance. Finally, you will explore the worlds of sustainable finance, neurofinance and fintech, three areas of research that will shape the future of the investment management industry.
You will also benefit from the insights of experts from UBS, our corporate partner, on the practical implementation of the various concepts we will develop in this course.
Welcome to the course and this introductory module! After reviewing some mistakes you will no longer make after following this course and some useful things to know before the course, we will dive into one of the main topics of this course: the active versus passive investment management debate.
What's included
9 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 63 minutes
Why you should choose this course•9 minutes
Some common mistakes you will no longer make after this course - Performance•6 minutes
Some common mistakes you will no longer make after this course - Selling•8 minutes
What is useful to know before this course?•3 minutes
Some products you will master when you next meet your bank advisor - Mutual funds•10 minutes
Some products you will master when you next meet your bank advisor - Closed-end funds•8 minutes
Introduction to active versus passive management - Definitions•6 minutes
Introduction to active versus passive management - Passive•8 minutes
Introduction to active versus passive management - Active•6 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Glossary•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Graded quiz on the content of Week 1•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Would you favor active over passive management?•10 minutes
Assessing Performance
Module 2•2 hours to complete
Module details
Welcome to the second module of the course! Here, we will start by talking about absolute versus relative performance and mandates. The second topic of this module will be performance measurement using risk-adjusted performance ratios but also asset pricing models. Finally, we will see how to decompose and attribute performance between the different types of investment decisions undertaken by fund managers.
What's included
10 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 80 minutes
What you will learn in this Module•11 minutes
Choosing the right benchmark - UBS guest speaker•9 minutes
Shifting from relative to absolute return mandates•9 minutes
The Sharpe, Treynor and Sortino ratios - Sharpe•8 minutes
The Sharpe, Treynor and Sortino ratios - Treynor and Sortino•8 minutes
Tracking Error - UBS guest speaker•5 minutes
Using asset pricing models to estimate fund performance•10 minutes
Would you rather opt for an absolute or a relative return mandate?•10 minutes
Investment Vehicles
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
Welcome to the third module of the course! In this module, we will explore the worlds of active and passive funds and try to address whether or not active fund management provides added value to a portfolio. But before doing so, we will see how to choose the best investment vehicles among both active and passive funds. The module ends with a discussion with our corporate partner on topics that often divides the world of finance between academia on one side and practitioners on the other.
What's included
12 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 103 minutes
What you will learn in this module•4 minutes
Dimensions in ETF selection - UBS guest speaker•7 minutes
Beating the benchmark or the peer group? - Peer group analysis•12 minutes
Beating the benchmark or the peer group? - Screening criteria•9 minutes
The information ratio says it all•9 minutes
What are the pros and cons of a structured product?•10 minutes
Searching for hedge fund alpha: lessons from academia - Asset pricing model•5 minutes
Searching for hedge fund alpha: lessons from academia - Evidence•10 minutes
Do active funds really outperform passive funds? - Preliminaries•7 minutes
Do active funds really outperform passive funds? - Evidence•8 minutes
Active versus passive management - UNIGE & UBS Discussion - Part 1•10 minutes
Active versus passive management - UNIGE & UBS Discussion - Part 2•11 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Graded quiz on the content of Week 3•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
What is your main takeaway from the active versus passive discussion?•10 minutes
Future Trends
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
Welcome to the fourth and last module of the course! This module is dedicated to future trends in investment management that are already starting to change how we think about and apply some of the ideas presented in the specialization. We will start with sustainable investing: defining it, examining its value proposition and see how it can be implemented in the context of a widely diversified portfolio. We will then take a quick look at what neurofinance is and how it can help us make better investment decisions. Finally, we will leave you with some insights as to how fintech (i.e. information technology solutions applied to finance) is likely to shape the future of the investment management industry.
What's included
12 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 82 minutes
What you will learn in this Module•7 minutes
Corporate sustainability and sustainable investing•9 minutes
Founded in 1559, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) is one of Europe's leading universities. Devoted to research, education and dialogue, the UNIGE shares the international calling of its host city, Geneva, a centre of international and multicultural activities with a venerable cosmopolitan tradition.
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Reviewed on Dec 1, 2020
A big thank you to all the teachers and gusts! Really good and complete course for those who take the specialization. Thanks again!
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5·
Reviewed on Oct 2, 2017
An excellent insight offered from the teaching team on the real world of portfolio management and how best to sustain investment returns over a long time horizon
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SV
5·
Reviewed on Jan 29, 2021
An excellent course of a brilliant specialization. Started at the zoo and ended at the zoo, Prof. Michel Girardin, YOU ARE THE BEST!
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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.