About us

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

With this understanding, we strive to make meaningful contributions through research and teaching in areas relevant to science, the economy, policy-making, and the environment at large. We do this in the awareness of the responsibility we have borne as researchers and teachers since 1968, when 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 rebranded as the Department of Banking and Finance to reflect the growing significance of modern finance in our research and educational programs. More recently, in 2024, we adopted the name Department of Finance to better encompass the diverse range of research areas currently represented within our department.

We are recognized as one of the leading finance departments in Europe, focusing on areas such as Asset Pricing, Corporate Finance, Financial Intermediation (Banking, Insurance), Quantitative Finance, Real Estate Finance, and Sustainable Finance. In terms of the number of faculty members, students and degrees awarded, our department is the largest finance department in Switzerland.

Mission Statement

Study programs in Banking and Finance

Every year 200 to 250 students graduate with a bachelor or master's degree in Banking and Finance. The department specializes in innovative teaching methods and is one of the most experienced institutions in Switzerland in the fields of e-learning and blended learning.

Bachelor in Banking and Finance
Master in Banking and Finance
Master of Science in Quantitative Finance

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