ICMA Centre

🔬 Premier League relegations impact university admissions

Research carried out by academics at the University of Reading and University of Stirling reveals a surprising link between football and higher education! 🎓

The study found universities associated with relegated Premier League clubs face a 4-8% drop in undergraduate admissions. This highlights the unexpected influence of sports performance on academic choices. ⚽

UK universities are taking note, with some aligning closely with local teams. It's not just about football – institutions are exploring creative ways to boost visibility through various sports connections.

For more details, read here: https://hly.ac/3Tx6VlL

How Premier League relegations hurt local university admissions Undergraduate enrolment found to dip noticeably at institutions associated with teams dropping out of English football’s top tier

Leading the charge in finance, ESG and sustainability! 🌿

Exploring innovative approaches to measuring and implementing ESG principles, we’re excited to announce that Dr Simone Varotto and Dr Lisa Schopohl will be guest editing a special issue of Finance Research Letters titled "Beyond ESG".

Calling for papers that challenge conventional ESG measures and propose new strategies from alternative performance metrics to tackling greenwashing, this is your chance to contribute to groundbreaking research.

📅 Deadline: 12 October 2024
ℹ️ More details: https://hly.ac/4dwfGEc

Join us in shaping the future of sustainable finance!

Study trip in beautiful Venice! 🇮🇹

Recently returning from a 12-day academic excursion, the centre's Dr Alfonso Dufour, and a group of our students had the incredible opportunity to attend specialised lectures, and workshops at the Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.

The experience allowed them to connect with peers and professors from diverse backgrounds, fostering relationships that have the potential for exciting future collaborations. By attending the trip, it meant adapting to a new environment which not only boosted self-confidence and independence, but also provided a chance for the students to immerse themselves in Italian culture. The stunning canals and vibrant atmosphere of Venice made the learning experience truly unforgettable. 📚

We can’t wait to see how the friendships and connections formed during the trip will flourish in the future! 🌍

🎓 Scholarship news!

We're pleased to share that a select group of our MSc (Financial Risk Management and Finance and Financial Technology) and PhD students have secured scholarships to attend the prestigious ARPM Quant Bootcamp, led by Attilio Meucci. 🎓

With the bootcamp now in its 17th year, the scholars embarked on a comprehensive programme which included guest lectures and networking opportunities.

A huge congratulations to our students on this exceptional opportunity to enhance their financial risk management and fintech expertise! 👏

To learn more about our Masters in Financial Risk Management, visit: https://hly.ac/3LvoIFA

📢 Join us for the 1st Doctoral Finance Symposium

🏫 Where: ICMA Centre, University of Reading
📆 When: 4th-5th July 2024
ℹ️ Information and to register: https://hly.ac/4aW9C6K

Open to early-career finance researchers, current PhD students, and recent graduates, this conference encourages academic interactions, networking, and idea exchange. 🤝

Featuring parallel sessions with discussions and new-ideas sessions for early-stage research feedback, the symposium provides a platform for professional growth and potential collaborations. 💡

The collapse of crypto giant FTX sent shockwaves, but its plans to repay creditors offer hope for a fresh start.

In his article for The Conversation UK, Head of the ICMA Centre, Andrew Urquhart, states, "If FTX restructures transparently and repays creditors, it could restore confidence and set a precedent for responsible crypto practices." 📈

He adds, "Rebuilding trust is crucial, but if done right, this could be a turning point for the industry." 🚀

A successful FTX restructuring could revitalise the crypto ecosystem and pave the way for a more trustworthy future.

Read his full article, here: https://hly.ac/3RlgH9t

Collapsed FTX exchange plans to repay investors – this could be a fresh start for crypto If FTX reimburses investors who lost their assets when the crypto exchange collapsed, it may offer the chance of a new start for the sector.

Study Reveals Impact of UEFA's FFP on EPL Clubs ⚽️

ICMA Centre's Professor Andrew Urquhart and Mobolaji Alabi, shed light on UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulation and its influence on English Premier League (EPL) clubs. Despite substantial revenue growth, pre-2011 financial reports revealed alarming losses and debt levels among top European football clubs.

In response, UEFA introduced FFP, aiming to bolster financial stability. Our detailed study examined 37 EPL clubs from 2005-2019, showcasing a remarkable shift post-FFP. Profits surged, driven mainly by a 91% increase in relevant income, yet debt levels rose by 48%.

Other key post-FFP statistics for the clubs included:

📈 Average relevant expenses increased by 75%
📈 Wages increased by 88%
📈 Break-even result increased by £37.46m more than it increased for the control group

Professor Urquhart emphasised the positive strides made but advocates for a shift towards debt reduction for long-term sustainability.

For more details, visit: https://hly.ac/3uOwxBs

Henley research reveals UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulation… New research from Professor Andrew Urquhart and Mobolaji Alabi from the ICMA Centre explores the impact of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulation on English Premier League clubs.

Do investors cleanse their conscience through Socially Responsible Investments?

Our latest research shows that guilty investors choose more often to invest in green funds than non-guilty ones.

Associate Professor of Finance, Dr. Ivan Sangiorgi, commented: ‘Investing in Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) is considered a moral behaviour for retail investors, who can express their ethical and environmental concerns through investment decision-making’.

For more details in the latest Leading Insights, visit: https://hly.ac/47V7H0o

Cryptocurrencies 2024, what's in store?

The need to 'clean up' the space to attract more investors, money laundering charges, and a crackdown on operators were all key factors in 2023 being a turbulent year for cryptocurrencies. So, is the year ahead looking any brighter for the sector?

In his latest The Conversation UK article, Henley Business School's ICMA Centre Professor of Finance & Financial Technology, Andrew Urquhart, along with Assistant Professor in Finance, Cardiff University, Hossein Jahanshahloo, discuss what key events are on the horizon and why the price of Bitcoin should surge in 2024.

Read the article here: https://hly.ac/48JyCx3

Bitcoin: four reasons why the price should surge in 2024 Twelve months ago, bitcoin looked dead in the water. Now it could be heading to all-time highs.

A day of celebration with ICMA Centre cohorts graduating!

Congratulations to all our graduates! You are now part of a vibrant global alumni community of over 90,000 people. Make sure you visit Henley Live for all the alumni insights, support and networking opportunities: https://hly.ac/4aaQ1jA

Congratulations to all our students who graduated last month!
Graduands from undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes came together with their guests to join staff at the ICMA Centre for some bubbly and special awards. These were made to several undergraduates based on high exam performance and overall ranking within their year group. They then continued to London Road for the traditional graduation.

We recently hosted our first Stock Market Challenge event since the pandemic and had 61 Year 12 students from 16 local schools attend. The students were invited to compete, spending the day experiencing the excitement of dealing on a live stock market trading floor with the chance of the top two teams and top school winning vouchers.

Briefed on the morning of the event by ICMA Centre academics, the students got involved early on, and all had a great day. The winning team from Holyport College collected a trophy and vouchers for the individual team members and the school. We have been informed the school has decided to spend their winnings on economics books for the library so that all students can benefit from the win.

Students from the ICMA Centre paid a visit to the Bank of England this week to learn about the future of digital currencies, hear keynote speeches by senior bank members, and before networking with Henley alumni.

To promote business and finance higher education among young women from local schools, Dr. Miriam Marra invited Year 9 and 10 students a sneak peak into the business world with project OLIVIA (Opportunities, Leadership, Inclusion, Voice, Independence and Ambition) last month. Twelve students attended the session last month and discussed fintech and why it is important for women to lead businesses. Read more here:

Girls learn how to be leaders of tomorrow at event organised by… Students from The Wren School, Reading attended the workshop where they heard inspiring talks and took part in activities

The Unibuddy Blog of the Month sees MSc student Jinping give her advice on living away from home and how to save money with food shopping as a student. Read more from Jinping and chat with our students here: https://hly.ac/41QzqNS

With two weeks to go before our Masters open day, we thought we would remind you what our students have gained from their Henley Masters. You can still register to attend and meet our faculty and careers and professional development team:https://hly.ac/3ZvzD7t

Wishing all of our students, staff, alumni and followers who are celebrating across the world, a Happy Lunar New Year!

The University of Reading held their annual Children's Christmas Lecture last month, with ICMA Centre academics Professor Adrian Bell and Dr Tony Moore hosting a 'Money Matters' talk, which explored the development of money as a concept over time. Read their blog and rewatch the lecture here: https://hly.ac/3X3tSgl

Money matters: what if we told you that everything you knew about money wasn’t quite as it seems? - Connecting Research Money matters was the theme of the University of Reading’s annual Children’s Christmas Lecture. With puzzles, questions and role play it was enthusiastically received. Here, economic historians Adrian Bell and Tony Moore summarise some of the key ideas from the lecture, which explored the develo...

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year from everybody at the ICMA Centre! May 2023 bring you joy and prosperity!

Merry Christmas to all of our students, staff and alumni who are celebrating today!