Over the past three decades, researchers in finance and psychology have catalogued dozens of different biases that affect how investors or consumers make choices and cause them to deviate from their ideal economic outcome. Findings along these lines have challenged the common view in economics and finance that individuals are narrowly selfish and fully rational. In an investing context, these assumptions would have us believe that investors are all perfectly successful in making rational financial decisions.

Similar to most individual consumers, investors in the finance industry also believe that they are better than average and fall prey to the same challenge: few asset managers or advisors believe that their investing ability is at or below average. This is why it is imperative to dig beneath the surface of behavioural finance and understand what psychological mechanisms construe these biases. This knowledge can then be utilised for making more informed and rational decisions. Advent of strategic technology in financial products and services has further complicated the process of marketing, consumer choice and risk management.

This programme aims to help outstanding individuals become autonomous researchers and lifelong innovators by enabling them to develop the scientific training and skills required to define, conduct and complete interdisciplinary and global research projects that advance knowledge and practices in the areas of Finance and Behavioural Sciences.